Computational Visualization: Graphics, Abstraction and Interactivity [Paperback]

An introduction to the use of abstraction in interactive computer graphics, emphasizing zooming and rendering techniques and discussing benefits for medical and technical applications.With contributions by numerous expertsA unified and coherent introduction to the notion of abstraction in interactive computer graphics is provided by this book. Abstraction entails refinement of images based on geometric models so as to reflect the importance of the features of the model for the dialog context and the visualization goal. This may require leaving out irrelevant details or accentuating significant features by adding details or enlarging or deforming parts. Such modifications are routine by hand but are at the leading edge of research in 2D and 3D computer graphics. The authors see the abstraction process as an interactive exploration of complex information spaces, and report especially on zooming and rendering techniques. Benefits are discussed for applications in medical illustration and technical documentation.I Introduction.- 1 New Challenges for Computer Visualization.- 1.1 Non-Computer Visualizations.- 1.1.1 Examples.- 1.1.2 Features.- 1.1.3 Observation.- 1.2 Computer Visualization: Exploring Complex Information Spaces.- 1.2.1 Information Spaces.- 1.2.2 Requirements for Dialog Systems.- 1.3 Abstraction in Interactive Computer Visualization.- 1.3.1 Abstraction.- 1.3.2 Abstraction in the Exploration of Complex Information Spaces.- 1.4 Research Topics.- 2 Exploration of Complex Information Spaces.- 2.1 Orientation in Complex Information Spaces.- 2.2 Fisheye Views: A Step Towards Abstraction.- 2.3 Applications of Fisheye Views.- 2.3.1 Filtered Views on Source Code.- 2.3.2 Distorting Views of Graphs and Maps.- 2.3.3 Multiple Foci.- 2.3.4 Fisheye Views of Hypertext Structures.- 2.3.5 Fisheye Views for Supervisory Control Systems.- 2.3.6 Zooming Windows.- 2.4 Comprehensible Fisheye Views.- 2.5 Fisheye Views for 3D Data.- 2.5.1 Implicit 3D Fisheye Views.- 2.5.2 Explicit 3Dl³&