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Course Description

In this class we will experiment with and learn about design as it applies to scientific applications in virtual reality.

Goals for the class:

• explore the visual and interaction design process for scientific visualization in immersive virtual reality
• familiarize students with immersive virtual reality and with design and implementation in this new medium for scientific ``illustration''
• help develop artists and designers who can interact with domain scientists and computer scientists in this new design process
• help develop computer scientists who can interact with domain scientists and artists/designers
• develop new visualization and interaction designs for a specific scientific visualization problem, 3D fluid flow
• build an interdisciplinary intercollegial bridge between Brown physical sciences and RISD

Aims

At the end of CS137, students will also have had experience with:

• carrying out an interdisciplinary research project;
• effectively communicating with collaborators in other disciplines;
• expressing their scientific ideas more clearly both in writing and orally.

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Objectives and Course Content Overview

The course will be organized around designing interactive visual solutions for exploring 3D fluid flow datasets. We will work with collaborators in Computer Science, Illustration, Bioengineering, and Applied Math in this design process.

We will learn about the scientific problem as well as about the interaction and visualization challenges that arise when addressing the scientific issues. We will learn about our "medium:" immersive virtual reality -- 3D computer graphics in an 8x8x8 foot cube of display screens. We will learn about design by designing visualization solutions to sub-problems of the larger problem. We will learn about communication by presenting and evaluating our designs based on the scientific needs. We will learn about evaluating our work by doing expert and group crits, by getting formal and informal feedback from users, and by doing reviews with one another. Finally, we will learn about some of the larger design issues by aggregating solutions to sub-problems into larger, more complete solutions.

Each student, sometimes alone and sometimes in a small group, will design and/or realize several visualization approaches during the semester culminating in a final project. During the semester we will also read about related design and scientific visualization work to put our work in context. See the class outline and class by class schedule for more details.

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Assignments

We expect assignments each week to take ten to fifteen hours beyond the four class hours. Assignments will include targeted readings about design and about the state-of-the-art in visualization, design, programming, presentations, a final project proposal, and a final project. Because the class will have two very distinct student populations, many of the design assignments will be done in small groups, typically pairs. Pairs will be assigned with one student from each population. Both students will be involved in both design and implementation, but it's expected that the design and implementation load will not always be evenly divided. We will strive to create assignments where everyone can learn about both processes and about how to collaborate and appreciate one anothers skills and expertise.

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Assessment

• Final project success and demo will be the base for class grade. Part of the project will be to develop its evaluation criteria.
• Each handin or class presentation can alter your grade by up to 1/2 letter. A late handin will cost 5% of a letter grade off the final course grade for each day (or portion) is is late. You have 5 free late days to use as you wish. Assignments that are part of class discussions or crits must be done on time or the full 1/2 letter grade will be deducted.
  There is something due for almost every class! For every reading you will be expected to hand something in electronically by 9am, one hour before class.
• Failure to meet any Writing and Rhetoric Fellow deadline will cost 1/2 letter off the final course grade.
• Class participation: up to 1/2 letter grade increase.

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Readings

Readings will be copied and handed out or made available via the course readings/assignments web page.

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Class Meetings

The class will meet in two places.

• Room #368, 3th floor, CIT building.
  
• Cave. 180 George St.

Classes will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 12pm.
The first class will be on Thursday, September 16th at 10am at the CIT Room #368.