From: Dmitri Kishton Lemmerman
To: cs237ta@cs.brown.edu
Subject: project proposals
Date-Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 10:06 AM -0400
1.) Develop a visualization that is the ultimate in serenity. It should have a very organic feel, possibly involving the creation of new interface devices that don't have the plasiticy feel of the current devices. Also, choosing colors interactively based on either direct user feedback, or perhaps some rudimentary biometric response.
2.) Develop a visualization performance metric that somehow evaluates the effect of one technique over another. Also, develop something to add/remove visualization elements dynamically based on their success in the metric.
3.) Create an interactive 3D icon maker that assembles geometric primitives into a shape and maps colors to parts based on data values.
4.) Develop a suite of interaction techniques for the artery based completely on gesture recognition. Try to give these gestures a holistic feel such that a typical interaction session has the continuity of dance movement.
5.) Create a visualization with a video game feel to the design. Perhaps utilizing Peter and my 3d icon if possible. Engage the user in a story metaphor that leads them towards discovery.
From: Liz Marai
To: cs237ta@cs.brown.edu
Subject: project ideas
Date-Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 10:11 AM -0400
1. Artery Wall. I'd like to make the wall deliver more information than it
does now. The current pink icon seems to damage more than it helps. I'd
also like to experiment with the wall material itself - i'm skeptical
about the chicken-wire. I think we've seen many good ideas in class.
2. Artery Annotation. Wouldn't it be great to have an annotation tool for
the artery? I like the pilot idea, but i don't think it's feasible (not
enough light in the cave to see the screen). Perhaps voice
annotations? Also, some way to signal there's an annotation for a certain
spot in the artery.
3. Artery Vorticity. Sounds easy, but it's not there yet, right? A
separate icon, maybe. Or spikes; the problem is currently you can only
have very simple icons in the cave.
4. Bat vorticity. Well, i'd like to do this, but as of now i have no idea
how.
5. Bat interaction. Again, no idea what is required here, but seems a
fresh topic.
-- Liz
From: Kazutoshi Yamazaki
To: cs237ta@cs.brown.edu
Subject: final project sketch
Date-Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 11:02 PM -0700
Hi,
I am not sure if I am supposed to email this. but here is a brief description of the sketch.
Thank you,
kazu
Each tube is connected with a virtual vacuum cleaner with which you can change the suction power and suction mode. For instance it has a mode in which it does not inhale particles on/near the surface of the tube or a mode in which it produces a convective flow. You are also provided several kinds of filters and meshes, only particles with a specific character can go through (e.g. only particles spinning clockwise can go through).
You have a dust pan to add more particles in the flow, a pair of tweezers to select a particle, a duster to wipe out (delete) particles and so on (they can be physical or virtual). The icons do not have to be dust or trash, but they should be the shape such that you can see the flow.
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 22:40:24 -0800 (PST)
From: Kazutoshi Yamazaki
Subject: Re: final project sketch
To: cs237ta@cs.brown.edu
Here are a few more project ideas.
< a sphere to rotate/move the world space>
In the cave, it is hard to rotate/move the world
because it is hard to see where the center of rotation
is and to see what you are moving with respect to. You
have a sphere in the middle of the Cave, which you can
rotate to rotate and move (up/down/right/left) to move
the world space. Ideally the sphere is floating in the
air and physical so that you can feel it, but i guess
it is impossible so, it will be an virtual object
(pending).
I would like to develop three 2D maps(x-y, y-z, z-x
coordinates), which show the artery wall (a view you
see from the top for x-y, from the right for y-z and
so on) and a red light showing where you are. I think
it is still hard to figure out where an object is in
the Cave even though it is 3D (because you are in the
space and you cannot see the whole space objectively).
These maps are like a small map when you see in a
video racing game at the corner, which shows where you
are and when a curve is ahead and so on. You can
select a point on the map to move yourself to the
point or put a flag on the map to show a virtual flag
in the corresponding point in the cave.
Thank you,
kazu
From: Krobatt@aol.com
To: cs237ta@cs.brown.edu
Subject: proposal ideas
Date-Sent: Saturday, October 26, 2002 3:08 AM -0400
Kimberly Batti
IDEA # 1
* Basic environment: Interface: living room metaphor. Colors comfortable, icons that represent elements of everyday life. Something familiar.
The artery itself should resemble the geometry of the actual vessel. Icons should be simple so that flow speed and navigation is not compromised.
* Basic physical interface objects: one glove and one wand
* Basic virtual toolset: pickers, virtual wands, selection lassos, filters, and maybe lights
* Basic genre of icons and data coding: streamlines and simple icons
* Basic interaction mode: particle emitter and constant flow; animation that can start and stop, alternate viewing modes, snapshots, saved views
IDEA # 2
* Basic environment: Interface: Simple physical menu that would
be wheeled into the space where there is no wall. Colors
comfortable, icons that represent elements of everyday
life. Something familiar that can physically be touched.
I was thinking of physically making the menu with plexi-glass and the knobs and scalers that Dan showed us the other day in class. This way the menu never interfers with the visualization of the artery.
The artery itself should resemble the geometry of the actual vessel. Icons should be simple so that flow speed and navigation is not compromised.
* Basic physical interface objects: one glove and one wand and a menu that has knobs to increase and decrease variables and a physical slider to increase and decrease speed of animation.
* Basic virtual toolset: pickers, virtual wands, selection lassos, filters, and maybe lights
* Basic genre of icons and data coding: streamlines and simple icons
* Basic interaction mode: particle emitter and constant flow; animation that can start and stop, alternate viewing modes, snapshots, saved views
mostly ever
IDEA #3
* Basic environment: An Interface with less graphic iconography. An interface with an organic feel.
The artery itself should resemble the geometry of the actual vessel. Icons should be simple so that flow speed and navigation is not compromised. Yet maybe the artery walls can seem less geometric and icons can relate to forms that actually exist within the human body.
* Basic physical interface objects: one glove and one wand or some combination close to that.
* Basic virtual toolset: pickers, virtual wands, selection lassos, filters,
* Basic genre of icons and data coding: streamlines
* Basic interaction mode: particle emitter; animation that can start and stop, alternate viewing modes, snapshots, saved views
I do not think it is necessary for the icon to be a super icon that displays all the variables for every element we are observing. The animation and immediate visual aspects of the cave can act as general overview. From there the scientist/doctors can choose which elements of the artery and data is important to him. This way the artery flow can move quickly and only the essential elements will be focused on.
From: Tracy Dianne Schultz
To: David Laidlaw
Subject: project ideas
Date-Sent: Friday, October 25, 2002 5:00 PM -0400
My thoughts for the website:
-----
For the final project I am interested in focusing very heavily on the user
interface/interaction model. I would like to replace the current interface
with one that allows the user to many different methods for completing
each task (i.e. a multi modal interface.), thus allowing the user to
choice between using a joy stick or menu system or pinch gloves
or other options depending
on which is easiest and most confortable to them.
I would also like to extend this idea of customization to the
visualization, allowing the user to may more options for emphasizing and
de-emphasising different portions and combinations of the data.
-------
I would like to try and make the coding (icons, colors, animations) within
the visualization as intuitive as possible. For example, rather than having
a color coding run from orange to blue where the middle values are unclear
in sequence, I would have the colors run from white to black or pink to
red, so that the linear progression is more clear to everyone. I also
really like the ideas other people in the class have had about pressure
being expressed through a tactile sensation. While I doubt that could be
actualized, I would like to try and substitute a visual squishing which
more closely represent what the pressure is actually doing to an icon. Many
people have suggested making the simulation more natural feeling (ie more
like what it might be like to be 1mm tall and standing in an artery. I
think that could be part of the look and feel I am imagining.
I want to add key(s)! I don't think there should be any reason for the
user/scientist to leave the cave in order to consult a reference on how the
controls work or what something represents. While I have no desire or plans
to write helps files, I believe there should be some way for the user to
activate a palette or chart which explains the icons and controls of the
application. They should be able to continue to interact with the model
while this palette is displayed, and close it at anytime.
I would like to add interactive sound. I do not mean speech recognition! I
would however like to tie sounds to objects. This could include a probe
which reads out data value as you move around... or maybe even a key of
sounds which some how tell you things about the data.
--------
-Tracy
From:
To: cs237ta@cs.brown.edu
Subject: cs237: final project ideas
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 3:40:20 -0500
cs237: final project ideas
Basic environment:
- provide a suitable environment to foster exploration.
- give the user a sense of walking into a tunnel, cavern – analogy of going spelunking.
Basic physical interface objects:
- gloves to interact with world.
- glasses that have a camera button.
- helmet with a virtual headlamp.
- palm pilot to perform advanced interactions (ie. navigating to a specific point).
Basic virtual toolset:
- intuitive actions.
- simple yet powerful menu system to make changes to environment.
- ability to speak and call up objects and perform actions.
Basic genre of icons and data coding:
- “comets” showing velocity.
- billboarded (always facing the viewer) pointed star icons as vorticity.
- as metaphorical as possible.
Basic interaction mode:
- allow user to probe the artery at a specific location
- show a chart of bars to give exact values of pressure, velocity and vorticity and compasses to show direction.
-rich
From: "Amelia Wong"
To:
Cc:
Subject: cs237 FINAL PROJECT IDEAS {aiwong}
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 02:46:59 -0500
These aren=92t so much separate proposals as they are a possible range =
of
features (classified as either data visualization or interaction) that
I=92d like to implement (not necessarily all of them).
=20
DATA VISUALIZATION FEATURES
(1) Represent other data values within the artery, such as vorticity
and pressure (probably continuing to use the line icon for speed and
direction). Not exactly sure what these icons will be, but they should
be very simple so the program doesn=92t slow down too much.=20
(2) I want to map a more organic texture to the artery wall (not
such a distracting pattern as the mesh, and probably more pinkish and
glossy like a vessel)
(3) Add the option to have the artery wall represent data values as
well =96 instead of those weird pink icons that are currently tethered =
to
the wall, subtle color and texture changes in the wall will represent
changes in wall pressure and residence time.
=20
INTERACTION FEATURES
(4) A virtual tool that has buttons representing each of the data
characteristics (i.e. speed/direction, vorticity) =96 the user pushes =
down
buttons for each/all of the characteristics that he wants to view at one
time in the entire artery.
(5) A virtual magnifying glass that reveals all the data
characteristics simultaneously at the selected spot. The size of the
magnifying window can=92t be changed but the data viewed through it is
constantly changing as the user moves the magnifying glass. This may
also display the actual numerical values of data at the center of the
glass.
(6) In case the data visualization are simply not working for the
user, he can also elect to use a range of virtual tools that I like to
call data-meters This can be composed of mini speedometers,
vorticity-meters (I=92m making up these words), pressure-meters =85
basically some virtual tool like an odometer that can be waved around
the artery and simultaneously display the changing values for a chosen
data type. These meters can be combined to form a larger data-meter =96
this way the user can CLEARLY see how a change in one variable affects
another.
(7) I=92m not sure if this is already implemented, but I would
definitely like to add some snapshot functionality that will save the
current CAVE image as a *.jpg or some similar image file type.
(8) Add annotation functionality such that the user can =93paste=94
notes in or outside the artery =96 the actual contents of the =
annotations
will be stored in a file and all the user will see is some icon
representing a =93note=94 as well as its title. The actual note text is
hidden so as not to obscure the artery data, but can appear in the CAVE
when the user selects the note icon. Ideally, the user then takes a few
snapshots to mull over after his/her CAVE experience and has the saved
file of notes as a reference (and the notes each have a title or
reference # that is displayed in the CAVE artery so that the user
remembers where the notes were mapped to).
(9) The user should have the ability to save a current viewpoint and
add it to the preset views; when he toggles through the views (like the
current viewpoint functionality) he can also re-visit his saved view. =20
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 21:07:23 -0500
From: PtrAthos@netscape.net
To: dhl@cs.brown.edu
Subject: my Project idea
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1. I would like to create and environment that is minimal, showing only certain aspects of the data at one time. My general feeling is that the current artery in the cave and all of our visualization methods in class have been too confusing and chaotic. so my viual metaphor might be like a feeling of simple running water.
2. For interaction tools I would like them to be very minimal as well. Too many cords around you is kind of restricting. Gesture commands would be nice, so I suppose some type of glove would have to be used unless we can get it to recognize hand gestures.
3. I like the floating windows that is the current selection tool for textures in Cave Painting. I would like to have some sort of navigational map displayed in this way.
4. I Like the idea of icons that look animated, so perhaps some type of character for an icon. I would also like to map the data with changes in the icon that are emphisised by a suttle color gradient.
5. For interaction, I think that navigation and selection of features in the flow is what I would like to incorporate into my design.
From: "Cybele Collins"
To: dhl@cs.brown.edu
Subject: Re: project ideas
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 17:45:15 -0500
1. An artery model with bands along the artery wall (influenced by Sharon
Schwartz's smoke flow model). Bands will vary in color, with perpendicular
lines or dots to indicate pressure in different values. Flow will be
indicated by streamlines in a dark color with points marked with white dots,
that quickly fade to white to give a sense of illumination. When a point is
toggled with the wand, a screen appears to its right witha map of its
vorticity values: for instance, a spinning arrow within the enlarged white
dot that varies in color from light yellow to orange, with a color scale
below it on this screen to help locate the value. Pressure at the point
will be shown by a band around the circumference of the white dot in this
screen, for which increasing width corresponds to greater pressure.
2. A model of flight simulation for airplanes. This could help study of
bat flight by contrast, since its problems can at least correspond to bat
flight and its properties are understood. To start, this will focus on the
physics that pilots need to consider - the four major types of energy
(potential, kinetic, chemical, and energy left behind in the air) and their
conversions. Its interface will include virtual gauges for energy and
power, and a rendering of the power curve, which is basically the same for
all airplanes and possibly so for bat wings, and shows the minimal amount of
dissipation (drag) at its highest point. The code for this interface would
consider special cases of energy conversion, as for airspeed and altitude
(proportional to kinetic and potential energy, respectively), which convert
to one another very easily, and are called 'mechanical energy' together;
their conversion is called 'zoom' and is a necessary function for aerobatic
maneuvers such as loops. The controls for energy in a plane, the throttle
and yoke, may have a correponding joystick. The throttle controls up-down
motion except in take-off, where that converts this thrust energy to
altitude doesn't apply; this specific would not be considered (but probably
should be noted) if the simulation is only for in-flight motion.
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 17:56:07 -0500 (EST)
From: Aditya Mohan
X-Sender: a@stitch
To: cs237ta@cs.brown.edu
Subject: Project proposals
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Hi David
Here are two project proposals:
Project Proposal 1:
-------------------
I like to concentrate more on the interface part. Implement a generic
interface that can suit all sorts of applications, whether that is the
artery application or the bat application.
1) The interface should be user configurable such that the user can
(without any programming or minimal programming) switch between
applications very easily.
2) Some of the interface characteristics:
a) Easy to navigate
b) Intuitive
c) Easy to switch between applications
d) Easy to configure - the shortcuts, hand gestures, and other
interactions should be easy to define using the user's inputs.
A interface using the combination of hand gestures, head nods and
menus give an interface with the required characteristics. The interface
is specified in details in Assignment 8/9 solution.
3) Few other things from the artery model can be changed. As also
suggested by Liz, the walls can be used to visualize multiple quantities -
The wall can map both wall pressure and the dwell time.
4) The icons can be modified: Instead of lines/tubes, other 3D shapes can
be used. This will give scope to add more data to the icon.
From: Moonstone6@aol.com
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 15:03:28 EST
Subject: VR proposals by Gisel
To: dhl@cs.brown.edu, dfk@cs.brown.edu
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Gisel's Three Proposals:
For all of my final project goals: I would like to make the artery walls to
be aesthetically enticing, while in conjunction using the interface as a
means to easily attain specific informational data.
I would also like to incorporate sound into my final project. I feel that
sound is a very instinctive way of expressing information. Voice recognition
would be limited, and using pitch, repetition, and synchronization can
dramatically re-enforce this virtual experience of attainting information.
These are a little extreme, just don't get scared.
1. The Artery as a Tunnel. What if you are a scientist bored of the life
under a microscope and a scalpel. I'm sure they would rather like to have
adventures of examining the flow of a NYC subway tunnel? Layers of Graffiti
smudges on the wall could indicate certain parts of interest at the
bifurcation. What would be your tool? A spray can of course! You could
use it to color the flow particles and also emit specific ones. There would
be a metro pass tool. This card would hover in space as you move your token
around the artery, showing the numerical data values in real time. A knife
tool perhaps would let you freeze the screen and allow you to cut a particle
in half to see its data. These are just some ideas for changing the artery
into something maybe a little more exciting.
2. The Artery as a Game Board. In the video games of today, there are
endless choices of ways to keep the viewer in charge of the data and
information that the actions entail. I would like to put together the
information of the Artery while alluding to the interface designs of video
games. I feel that graphs/maps/bars/ and levers are good ways to accurately
show data in an easily understandable way. This method of visualization
would expand the viewer's interest in the virtual space while also giving the
facts.
3. The Artery as Outer Space. Now when you think of it, you've never
actually been inside an Artery have you? If super advanced technology found
a way to do this, the first time being inside it would be as foreign as
visiting another planet. With our virtual reality space, it is possible to
do the impossible. So, take it to the limit! Enforce the idea of
non-familiarity. Use the tools necessary to explore the strange territory.
These could range from a magnifying glass, to sampling devices, and virtual
translators to look up color-coding and symbols. It would be instinct that
would lead you to explore the unfamiliar. Scientists would be familiar with
the process of taking samples and evaluating the data, so I feel this method
would work well.
From: Sean Orelli
To: cs237ta@cs.brown.edu
Subject: Final Project ideas
Date-Sent: Monday, October 28, 2002 5:28 PM -0500
Sean Orelli
Final Project Ideas
1. Create a tool to measure vorticity and pressure of flow. A virtual
object can be placed at various points in the flow using texture,
brightness, opacity and animation to describe data values. The object
can be interactively controlled with the glove for placement and
removal. The objects could also be placed uniformly in a predetemined
area around the viewer.
2. Create a tool to annotate the wall and retrieve data. A laser
pointer like device can both show the data of a point on the wall as
well as an area described by a shape drawn with the laser. This would
also require 2D icons to display the data on a plane in space.
3. Create different modes of visualization, displaying various
combinations of the data.
4. Create a toolbox much like the 3D version of the tradtional desktop.
Icons for tools appear in the toolbox and can be grabbed out of the tool
box for use in the virtual world. They remain in the virtual world until
they are placed in the tool box for future use. The box itself can be
manipulated to change size, shape, and location. The tools that are
retrieved from the box always remain in room coordinates, not being
affected by navigation through the world.
> David Laidlaw