A Four-level Focus+Context Approach to Interactive Visual Analysis of Temporal Features in Large Scientific Data

Information

• Visibility: hidden
• Publication Type: Journal Paper with Conference Talk
• Workgroup(s)/Project(s):
  • Visualization Group
• Date: May 2008
• Journal: Computer Graphics Forum
• Volume: 27
• Number: 3
• Location: Eindhooven, Netherlands
• Lecturer: Philipp Muigg
• Event: EuroVis 2008
• Pages: 775 – 782

Abstract

In this paper we present a new approach to the interactive visual analysis of time-dependent scientific data -- both from measurements as well as from computational simulation -- by visualizing a scalar function over time for each of tenthousands or even millions of sample points. In order to cope with overdrawing and cluttering, we introduce a new four-level method of focus+context visualization. Based on a setting of coordinated, multiple views (with linking and brushing), we integrate three different kinds of focus and also the context in every single view. Per data item we use three values (from the unit interval each) to represent to which degree the data item is part of the respective focus level. We present a color compositing scheme which is capable of expressing all three values in a meaningful way, taking semantics and their relations amongst each other (in the context of our multiple linked view setup) into account. Furthermore, we present additional image-based postprocessing methods to enhance the visualization of large sets of function graphs, including a texture-based technique based on line integral convolution (LIC). We also propose advanced brushing techniques which are specific to the timedependent nature of the data (in order to brush patterns over time more efficiently). We demonstrate the usefulness of the new approach in the context of medical perfusion data.

Additional Files and Images

Weblinks

• http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8659.2008.01207.x

BibTeX

@article{Muigg-2008-four,
  title =      "A Four-level Focus+Context Approach to Interactive Visual
               Analysis of Temporal Features in Large Scientific Data",
  author =     "Philipp Muigg and Johannes Kehrer and Steffen Oeltze and
               Harald Piringer and Helmut Doleisch and Bernhard Preim and
               Helwig Hauser",
  year =       "2008",
  abstract =   "In this paper we present a new approach to the interactive
               visual analysis of time-dependent scientific data -- both
               from measurements as well as from computational simulation
               -- by visualizing a scalar function over time for each of
               tenthousands or even millions of sample points. In order to
               cope with overdrawing and cluttering, we introduce a new
               four-level method of focus+context visualization. Based on a
               setting of coordinated, multiple views (with linking and
               brushing), we integrate three different kinds of focus and
               also the context in every single view. Per data item we use
               three values (from the unit interval each) to represent to
               which degree the data item is part of the respective focus
               level. We present a color compositing scheme which is
               capable of expressing all three values in a meaningful way,
               taking semantics and their relations amongst each other (in
               the context of our multiple linked view setup) into account.
               Furthermore, we present additional image-based
               postprocessing methods to enhance the visualization of large
               sets of function graphs, including a texture-based technique
               based on line integral convolution (LIC). We also propose
               advanced brushing techniques which are specific to the
               timedependent nature of the data (in order to brush patterns
               over time more efficiently). We demonstrate the usefulness
               of the new approach in the context of medical perfusion
               data.",
  month =      may,
  journal =    "Computer Graphics Forum",
  volume =     "27",
  number =     "3",
  pages =      "775--782",
  URL =        "https://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/research/publications/2008/Muigg-2008-four/",
}