Visual analysis of document triage data

As part of the information seeking process, a large amount of effort is invested in order to study and understand how information seekers search through documents such that they can assess their relevance. This search and assessment of document relevance, known as document triage, is an important information seeking process, but is not yet well understood. Human-computer interaction (HCI) and digital library scientists have undertaken a series of user studies involving information seeking, collected a large amount of data describing information seekers' behavior during document search. Next to this, we have witnessed a rapid increase in the number of off-the-shelf visualization tools which can benefit document triage study. Here we set out to utilize existing information visualization techniques and tools in order to gain a better understanding of the large amount of user-study data collected by HCI and digital library researchers. We describe the range of available tools and visualizations we use in order to increase our knowledge of document triage. Treemap, parallel coordinates, stack graph, matrix chart, as well as other visualization methods, prove to be insightful in exploring, analyzing and presenting user behavior during document triage. Our findings and visualizations are evaluated by HCI and digital library researchers studying this proble

Visual Interference with a Transparent Head Mounted Display

Potential perceptual problems that may occur with monocular wearable displays are binocular rivalry and visual interference. We report the results from an experiment with a monocular wearable showing that text becomes increasingly difficult to read as the background becomes more complex. Indeed subjects adopted strategies to avoid the visually complex backgrounds and thereby minimize the interference

From Data Chaos to the Visualization Cosmos

Data visualization is a general term that describes any effort to help people enhance their understanding of data by placing it in a visual context. We present a ubiquitous pattern of knowledge evolution that the collective digital society is experiencing. It starts with a challenge or goal in the real world. When implementing a real-world solution, we often run into barriers. Creating a digital solution to an analogue problem create massive amounts of data. Visualization is a key technology to extract meaning from large data sets

Constructing streak surfaces for 3D unsteady vector fields

Visualization of 3D, unsteady flow (4D) is very difficult due to both perceptual challenges and the large size of 4D vector field data. One approach to this challenge is to use integral surfaces to visualize the 4D properties of the field. However the construction of streak surfaces has remained elusive due to problems stemming from expensive computation and complex meshing schemes. We present a novel streak surface construction algorithm that generates the surface using a quadrangular mesh. In contrast to previous approaches the algorithm offers a combination of speed for exploration of 3D unsteady flow, high precision, and places less restriction on data or mesh size due to its CPU-based implementation compared to a GPU-based method. The algorithm can be applied to large data sets because it is based on local operations performed on the quad primitives. We demonstrate the technique on a variety of 3D, unsteady simulation data sets to show its speed and robustness. We also present both a detailed implementation and a performance evaluation. We show that a technique based on quad meshes handles large data sets and can achieve interactive frame rates

Theory and Application of Dissociative Electron Capture in Molecular Identification

The coupling of an electron monochromator (EM) to a mass spectrometer (MS) has created a new analytical technique, EM-MS, for the investigation of electrophilic compounds. This method provides a powerful tool for molecular identification of compounds contained in complex matrices, such as environmental samples. EM-MS expands the application and selectivity of traditional MS through the inclusion of a new dimension in the space of molecular characteristics--the electron resonance energy spectrum. However, before this tool can realize its full potential, it will be necessary to create a library of resonance energy scans from standards of the molecules for which EM-MS offers a practical means of detection. Here, an approach supplementing direct measurement with chemical inference and quantum scattering theory is presented to demonstrate the feasibility of directly calculating resonance energy spectra. This approach makes use of the symmetry of the transition-matrix element of the captured electron to discriminate between the spectra of isomers. As a way of validating this approach, the resonance values for twenty-five nitrated aromatic compounds were measured along with their relative abundance. Subsequently, the spectra for the isomers of nitrotoluene were shown to be consistent with the symmetry-based model. The initial success of this treatment suggests that it might be possible to predict negative ion resonances and thus create a library of EM-MS standards.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figure

Rivalry and interference with a head-mounted display

Perceptual factors that affect monocular, transparent (a.k.a see-thru ) head-mounted displays include binocular rivalry, visual interference, and depth of focus. We report the results of an experiment designed to evaluate the effects of these factors on user performance in a table look-up task. Two backgrounds were used. A dynamic moving background was provided by a large screen TV and an untidy bookshelf was used to provide a complex static background. With the TV background large effects were found attributable to both rivalry and visual interference. These two effects were roughly additive. Smaller effects were found with the bookshelf. In conclusion we suggest that monocular transparent HMDs may be unsuitable for use in visually dynamic environments. However when backgrounds are relatively static, having a transparent display may be preferable to having an opaque display

Survey of Surveys (SoS) - Mapping The Landscape of Survey Papers in Information Visualization

Information visualization as a field is growing rapidly in popularity since the first information visualization conference in 1995. However, as a consequence of its growth, it is increasingly difficult to follow the growing body of literature within the field. Survey papers and literature reviews are valuable tools for managing the great volume of previously published research papers, and the quantity of survey papers in visualization has reached a critical mass. To this end, this survey paper takes a quantum step forward by surveying and classifying literature survey papers in order to help researchers understand the current landscape of Information Visualization. It is, to our knowledge, the first survey of survey papers (SoS) in Information Visualization. This paper classifies survey papers into natural topic clusters which enables readers to find relevant literature and develops the first classification of classifications. The paper also enables researchers to identify both mature and less developed research directions as well as identify future directions. It is a valuable resource for both newcomers and experienced researchers in and outside the field of Information Visualization and Visual Analytics

Joint Contour Net Analysis for Feature Detection in Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics Data

In this paper we demonstrate the use of multivariate topological algorithms to analyse and interpret Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) data. Lattice QCD is a long established field of theoretical physics research in the pursuit of understanding the strong nuclear force. Complex computer simulations model interactions between quarks and gluons to test theories regarding the behaviour of matter in a range of extreme environments. Data sets are typically generated using Monte Carlo methods, providing an ensemble of configurations, from which observable averages must be computed. This presents issues with regard to visualisation and analysis of the data as a typical ensemble study can generate hundreds or thousands of unique configurations. We show how multivariate topological methods, such as the Joint Contour Net, can assist physicists in the detection and tracking of important features within their data in a temporal setting. This enables them to focus upon the structure and distribution of the core observables by identifying them within the surrounding data. These techniques also demonstrate how quantitative approaches can help understand the lifetime of objects in a dynamic system.Comment: 30 pages, 19 figures, 4 table

FIRST: a flexible and interactive resampling tool for CFD simulation data

We introduce a flexible, variable resolution tool for interactive resampling of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation data on versatile grids. The tool and coupled algorithm afford users precise control of glyph placement during vector field visualization via six interactive degrees of freedom. Other important characteristics of this method include: (1) an algorithm that resamples any unstructured grid onto any structured grid, (2) handles changes to underlying topology and geometry, (3) handles unstructured grids with holes and discontinuities, (4) does not rely on any pre-processing of the data, and (5) processes large numbers of unstructured grid cells efficiently. We believe this tool to be a valuable asset in the engineer's pursuit of understanding and visualizing the underlying flow field in CFD simulation results