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previous years:   2002   2004

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 and evaluate 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 animal motion and fluid flow datasets. We will work with collaborators in Computer Science, Illustration, and Evolutionary Biology 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 five class hours. Assignments will include targeted readings about visual design, the state-of-the-art in visualization, some engineering and mechanics of flight and flow, and some readings about bat anatomy and evolution. Because the class will have two very distinct student populations, some of the design assignments will be done in small groups, typically pairs. We will strive to create assignments where everyone can learn about the design, implementation and evaluation processes, and about how to collaborate and appreciate one anothers skills and expertise.

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Assessment

Assesment will be based on a combination of performance on assignments and in class. Much of the success of this class depends on the group critiques that will be held in class, and students are expected to participate in all of these.  Late assignments will not be accepted, because they cannot be critiqued in class.  Note that there is something due for almost every class!  Also note that, in addition to the parts of the assignments that will be critiqued in class, there are brief written handins due quite frequently.  Keep track of the calendar page for the class to know what is due when.

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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.

• CIT building. Room #368
  
• Cave. 180 George St.

Classes will be Mondays and Wednesdays from 10am to 12:30pm.
The first class will be on Wednesday, September 13th at 10am at the CIT Room #368.