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From: andyr@sag4.ssl.berkeley.edu (Andy Rose)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
Subject: Re: Out of the lab, into the classroom 2nd try
Message-ID: <1991Apr3.193914.4569@agate.berkeley.edu>
Date: 3 Apr 91 19:39:14 GMT
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>I wonder if 'visualization' has coalesced (coagulated?) into an area
>which is academically approachable.  Does the study of computer
>graphics, statistic, or whatever make a reasonable course for a
>'visualizer'?  I would like your thoughts on what such a program
>looks like.  These could include:
>Is it timely or neccessary to pursue this question, given the current
>state of visualization?  It would help to define the current state 
>of visualization.
>What coursework is appropriate for this subject?


!I don't think any single course could
!be said to cover this field.  Comments in some of the professional
!interviews note you need some background in not only in computers and math
!but also the physical sciences.

I suppose a 'visualizer' needs a solid background in the sciences because
he/she needs to speak the language of science, for the 'visualizer'
in one role 'serves' the scientist and must understand what the guy
is getting at.      Hopefully this
training is not exclusive of social science, because perhaps the data
sets from sociology (ie. census) is far more interesting and useful 
than CFD.

I wonder if the role of 'visualizer' will go the way of 'graphic artist'
who has in large part been supplanted by technology.  With AVS and
apE and such scientists can do graphics on there own,thank you.


>Is this art or science?  What is the place of perception psychology,
>virtual worlds, image processing, neural networks, statistics, and
>other such research in visualization?


!Neither. Yet.  It is not a stand alone discipline by itself.
Why not? What does it take for a discipline to stand alone? Perhaps
if I call it 'visualization science' (remember physical science for
physics?, computer 'science') it can 'stand alone'.

!Perceptual psychology: has some use (human factors/engineering/cognition).
One basic problem which could be addressed by perception stuff is
how to map real values to colors.  All kinds of questions arise when
you use color to represent values. Should I use intensity or hue, etc...
How about transparency, reflectivity, etc...

!virtual worlds: only have value in this field when compared to a real world.
!otherwise it use is limited to simulation.  Current fad.
Tactile feedback and stereoglasses can provide access to processing power
possessed by the brain which is untapped by conventional UIs.  

!NN: is this a trick question?  It's place is largely novel.  Curosity.
!Applications: future if many; and open.  Speculative.
It may be that the only way to find structure and draw conclusions from
N-dimensional data is to build a machine to do it for us.  A neural 
network could process info with many more 'eyes' than  we simple homonoids.
Indeed, this is far out.

!Statistics: Yes, lots...
Here, here.  A 'visualizer' should know the current thinking on reducing
large data sets.

>Scientific visualization in the global research community is virtually real.
!That's a weird quote.

!--eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@orville.nas.nasa.gov
!  Resident Cynic, Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers
!  {uunet,mailrus,other gateways}!ames!eugene

Andy Rose
andyr@ssl.berkeley.edu