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At least 235 records · Page 13

Visualizing Spatially Varying Distribution Data

Box plot is a compact representation that encodes the minimum, maximum, mean, median, and quarters information of a distribution. In practice, a single box plot is drawn for each variable of interest. With the advent of more accessible computing power, we are now facing the problem of visual icing data where there is a distribution at each 2D spatial location. Simply extending the box plot technique to distributions over 2D domain is not straightforward. One challenge is reducing the visual clutter if a box plot is drawn over each grid location in the 2D domain. This paper presents and discusses two general approaches, using parametric statistics and shape descriptors, to present 2D distribution data sets. Both approaches provide additional insights compared to the traditional box plot technique

Kao, David↗

Multimodal X-ray nano-spectromicroscopy analysis of chemically heterogeneous systems

Abstract Understanding the nanoscale chemical speciation of heterogeneous systems in their native environment is critical for several disciplines such as life and environmental sciences, biogeochemistry, and materials science. Synchrotron-based X-ray spectromicroscopy tools are widely used to understand the chemistry and morphology of complex material systems owing to their high penetration depth and sensitivity. The multidimensional (4D+) structure of spectromicroscopy data poses visualization and data-reduction challenges. This paper reports the strategies for the visualization and analysis of spectromicroscopy data. We created a new graphical user interface and data analysis platform named XMIDAS (X-ray multimodal image data analysis software) to visualize spectromicroscopy data from both image and spectrum representations. The interactive data analysis toolkit combined conventional analysis methods with well-established machine learning classification algorithms (e.g. nonnegative matrix factorization) for data reduction. The data visualization and analysis methodologies were then defined and optimized using a model particle aggregate with known chemical composition. Nanoprobe-based X-ray fluorescence (nano-XRF) and X-ray absorption near edge structure (nano-XANES) spectromicroscopy techniques were used to probe elemental and chemical state information of the aggregate sample. We illustrated the complete chemical speciation methodology of the model particle by using XMIDAS. Next, we demonstrated the application of this approach in detecting and characterizing nanoparticles associated with alveolar macrophages. Our multimodal approach combining nano-XRF, nano-XANES, and differential phase-contrast imaging efficiently visualizes the chemistry of localized nanostructure with the morphology. We believe that the optimized data-reduction strategies and tool development will facilitate the analysis of complex biological and environmental samples using X-ray spectromicroscopy techniques.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Development of Level of Detail System and First-Person Camera for the GCAS Visualization Suite

The use of data-driven simulations has become standard practice as part of planning for future space missions. These simulations allow visualizing the data interactively to show what the data represents, as well as the importance of the data in the context of the mission. Using this visualized data can enhance users’ understanding of it and accelerate analysis efforts related to missions planned around it. Three-dimensional (3D) visualization software was developed to allow creating 3D representations of various communication systems, as well as the physical terrain of the Moon, for upcoming missions. The goal of this software development effort was to create interactive visualization capabilities in the Glenn Research Center Communication Analysis Suite (GCAS) using data exported from MATLAB® (MathWorks, Inc.) scripts. This software had the functionality to visualize the line of sight and dynamic link margins of the communication satellites orbiting the Earth and the Moon. One important addition to this was the visualization of the terrain data located within the GeoTIFF files, which were produced in an effort to understand the Moon’s terrain. Proper displacement values of this data have to be visualized to showcase where craters are located and how the shadow casting works with said craters at different points of the day, as well as analysis of possible landing sites for future lunar expeditions. The graphics library coded in JavaScript, three.js, had been previously selected for developing this visualization software. The software was revised to conform to modern standards, then further developed to convert the MATLAB® data into JavaScript 3D objects and Blender GL Transmission Format Binary file (GLB) objects, which were to be imported into the scene. In the process, a variety of other testing projects were created to be combined with this project at a later point; these included the first-person camera movements around spherical objects to portray human movement around the Moon, GeoTIFF loading methods, data transfer methods for incorporating the elevation data into the scene, and level of detail (LOD) capabilities to decrease memory usage and rendering time.

Visualization↗

On visual-vestibular interaction

Experimental evidence is presented regarding visual vestibular interaction, and the results of three studies on the subject are briefly noted. An attempt to put together some of these observations with elementary notions of a visual vestibular interaction program is shown in the form of a flow chart representation of a possible model. This is a nonlinear model in which visual and vestibular influences are linearly weighted when they are in relative agreement but switch to the more believable one when they are in disagreement. A solution to the human space orientation problem is depicted by a schema for optimal subjective orientation based on several sensory modalities.

Young, L. R.↗

Nondeterministic data base for computerized visual perception

A description is given of the knowledge representation data base in the perception subsystem of the Mars robot vehicle prototype. Two types of information are stored. The first is generic information that represents general rules that are conformed to by structures in the expected environments. The second kind of information is a specific description of a structure, i.e., the properties and relations of objects in the specific case being analyzed. The generic knowledge is represented so that it can be applied to extract and infer the description of specific structures. The generic model of the rules is substantially a Bayesian representation of the statistics of the environment, which means it is geared to representation of nondeterministic rules relating properties of, and relations between, objects. The description of a specific structure is also nondeterministic in the sense that all properties and relations may take a range of values with an associated probability distribution.

Yakimovsky, Y.↗

Analysis and representation of complex structures in separated flows

We discuss our recent work on extraction and visualization of topological information in separated fluid flow data sets. As with scene analysis, an abstract representation of a large data set can greatly facilitate the understanding of complex, high-level structures. When studying flow topology, such a representation can be produced by locating and characterizing critical points in the velocity field and generating the associated stream surfaces. In 3D flows, the surface topology serves as the starting point. The 2D tangential velocity field near the surface of the body is examined for critical points. The tangential velocity field is integrated out along the principal directions of certain classes of critical points to produce curves depicting the topology of the flow near the body. The points and curves are linked to form a skeleton representing the 2D vector field topology. This skeleton provides a basis for analyzing the 3D structures associated with the flow separation. The points along the separation curves in the skeleton are used to start tangent curve integrations. Integration origins are successively refined to produce stream surfaces. The map of the global topology is completed by generating those stream surfaces associated with 3D critical points.

Helman, James↗

Uncertainty Visualization Challenges in Decision Systems with Ensemble Data & Surrogate Models

Uncertainty visualization is a key component in translating important insights from ensemble simulation data into actionable decision-making by visually conveying various aspects of uncertainty within a system. With the recent advent of fast surrogate models trained on ensemble data, we can substitute computationally expensive simulations, which allows users to interact with more aspects of data spaces than ever before. However, the use of ensemble data with surrogate models in a decision-making tool brings up new challenges for uncertainty visualization, namely how to reconcile and communicate the new and different types of uncertainties brought in by surrogates and how to utilize these new data estimates in actionable ways. In this work, we examine these issues as they relate to high-dimensional data visualization, the integration of discrete datasets and the continuous representations of those datasets, and the unique difficulties associated with systems that allow users to iterate between input and output spaces. We assess the role of uncertainty visualization in facilitating intuitive and actionable interaction with ensemble data and surrogate models, and highlight key challenges in this new frontier of computational simulation.

ensemble data↗

Uncertainty Visualization Challenges in Decision Systems with Ensemble Data & Surrogate Models: Preprint

Uncertainty visualization is a key component in translating important insights from ensemble data into actionable decision-making by visually conveying various aspects of uncertainty within a system. With the recent advent of fast surrogate models for computationally expensive simulations, users can interact with more aspects of data spaces than ever before. However, the integration of ensemble data with surrogate models in a decision-making tool brings up new challenges for uncertainty visualization, namely how to reconcile and communicate the new and different types of uncertainties brought in by surrogates and how to utilize these new data estimates in actionable ways. In this work, we examine these issues as they relate to high-dimensional data visualization, the integration of discrete datasets and the continuous representations of those datasets, and the unique difficulties associated with systems that allow users to iterate between input and output spaces. We assess the role of uncertainty visualization in facilitating intuitive and actionable interaction with ensemble data and surrogate models, and highlight key challenges in this new frontier of computational simulation.

ensemble visualization↗

CLIP Representation Enhanced Predicate Estimation

This software provides functions to perform visual predicate estimation by leveraging the pre-trained vision-language model CLIP. In addition to training the prediction estimator with a labeled dataset, it also performs performance evaluation and visualization of results.

Jayaraman Thiagarajan, Jayaraman↗

Graph learning for particle accelerator operations

Particle accelerators play a crucial role in scientific research, enabling the study of fundamental physics and materials science, as well as having important medical applications. This study proposes a novel graph learning approach to classify operational beamline configurations as good or bad. By considering the relationships among beamline elements, we transform data from components into a heterogeneous graph. We propose to learn from historical, unlabeled data via our self-supervised training strategy along with fine-tuning on a smaller, labeled dataset. Additionally, we extract a low-dimensional representation from each configuration that can be visualized in two dimensions. Leveraging our ability for classification, we map out regions of the low-dimensional latent space characterized by good and bad configurations, which in turn can provide valuable feedback to operators. This research demonstrates a paradigm shift in how complex, many-dimensional data from beamlines can be analyzed and leveraged for accelerator operations.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Sensor fusion IV: Control paradigms and data structures; Proceedings of the Meeting, Boston, MA, Nov. 12-15, 1991

Various papers on control paradigms and data structures in sensor fusion are presented. The general topics addressed include: decision models and computational methods, sensor modeling and data representation, active sensing strategies, geometric planning and visualization, task-driven sensing, motion analysis, models motivated biology and psychology, decentralized detection and distributed decision, data fusion architectures, robust estimation of shapes and features, application and implementation. Some of the individual subjects considered are: the Firefly experiment on neural networks for distributed sensor data fusion, manifold traversing as a model for learning control of autonomous robots, choice of coordinate systems for multiple sensor fusion, continuous motion using task-directed stereo vision, interactive and cooperative sensing and control for advanced teleoperation, knowledge-based imaging for terrain analysis, physical and digital simulations for IVA robotics.

Schenker, Paul S.↗

A Comparison of Three-Dimensional Simulations of Traveling-Wave Tube Cold-Test Characteristics Using CST MICROWAVE STUDIO and MAFIA

Previously, it was shown that MAFIA (solutions of Maxwell's equations by the Finite Integration Algorithm), a three-dimensional simulation code, can be used to produce accurate cold-test characteristics including frequency-phase dispersion, interaction impedance, and attenuation for traveling-wave tube (TWT) slow-wave structures. In an effort to improve user-friendliness and simulation time, a model was developed to compute the cold-test parameters using the electromagnetic field simulation software package CST MICROWAVE STUDIO (MWS). Cold-test parameters were calculated for several slow-wave circuits including a ferruled coupled-cavity, a folded waveguide, and a novel finned-ladder circuit using both MWS and MAFIA. Comparisons indicate that MWS provides more accurate cold-test data with significantly reduced simulation times. Both MAFIA and MWS are based on the finite integration (FI) method; however, MWS has several advantages over MAFIA. First, it has a Windows based interface for PC operation, making it very user-friendly, whereas MAFIA is UNIX based. MWS uses a new Perfect Boundary Approximation (PBA), which increases the accuracy of the simulations by avoiding stair step approximations associated with MAFIA's representation of structures. Finally, MWS includes a Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) compatible macro language that enables the simulation process to be automated and allows for the optimization of user-defined goal functions, such as interaction impedance.

Chevalier, C. T.↗

The Digital Space Shuttle, 3D Graphics, and Knowledge Management

The Digital Shuttle is a knowledge management project that seeks to define symbiotic relationships between 3D graphics and formal knowledge representations (ontologies). 3D graphics provides geometric and visual content, in 2D and 3D CAD forms, and the capability to display systems knowledge. Because the data is so heterogeneous, and the interrelated data structures are complex, 3D graphics combined with ontologies provides mechanisms for navigating the data and visualizing relationships.

Gomez, Julian E.↗

Multi-Objective Scheduling for the Cluster II Constellation

This paper describes the application of the MUSE multiobjecctive scheduling framework to the Cluster II WBD scheduling domain. Cluster II is an ESA four-spacecraft constellation designed to study the plasma environment of the Earth and it's magnetosphere. One of the instruments on each of the four spacecraft is the Wide Band Data (WBD) plasma wave experiment. We have applied the MUSE evolutionary algorithm to the scheduling problem represented by this instrument, and the result has been adopted and utilized by the WBD schedulers for nearly a year. This paper describes the WBD scheduling problem, its representation in MUSE, and some of the visualization elements that provide insight into objective value tradeoffs.

observatory scheduilng↗

Treatment of Tilted Sonar Data for Salt Cavern Analysis

Structural modeling and visualization of salt caverns requires three-dimensional representations. These representations are typically produced from sonar surveys conducted by companies that then produce a report of depths, distances, and volumes. There are multiple formats that are vendor dependent, and, as technology improves, there have been changes from only horizontal surveys to inclined shots for ceilings and floors to mid-cavern inclined shots. For geomechanical modeling, leaching predictions, and cavern stability visualizations, Sandia has previously written in-house software, called SONAR8, that created a consistent geometry format from the processed sonar reports. However, the increase in the need for mid-cavern inclined surveys led to the discovery of certain limitations in that code. This report describes methods used to process the multiple different formats to handle inclined shots in a consistent and accurate manner in our modeling efforts. A set of file formats and a database schema that was developed for this work is also documented in the appendices.

02 PETROLEUM↗

Image gathering and digital restoration for fidelity and visual quality

The fidelity and resolution of the traditional Wiener restorations given in the prevalent digital processing literature can be significantly improved when the transformations between the continuous and discrete representations in image gathering and display are accounted for. However, the visual quality of these improved restorations also is more sensitive to the defects caused by aliasing artifacts, colored noise, and ringing near sharp edges. In this paper, these visual defects are characterized, and methods for suppressing them are presented. It is demonstrated how the visual quality of fidelity-maximized images can be improved when (1) the image-gathering system is specifically designed to enhance the performance of the image-restoration algorithm, and (2) the Wiener filter is combined with interactive Gaussian smoothing, synthetic high edge enhancement, and nonlinear tone-scale transformation. The nonlinear transformation is used primarily to enhance the spatial details that are often obscurred when the normally wide dynamic range of natural radiance fields is compressed into the relatively narrow dynamic range of film and other displays.

Huck, Friedrich O.↗

Spatial updating in human parietal cortex

Single neurons in monkey parietal cortex update visual information in conjunction with eye movements. This remapping of stimulus representations is thought to contribute to spatial constancy. We hypothesized that a similar process occurs in human parietal cortex and that we could visualize it with functional MRI. We scanned subjects during a task that involved remapping of visual signals across hemifields. We observed an initial response in the hemisphere contralateral to the visual stimulus, followed by a remapped response in the hemisphere ipsilateral to the stimulus. We ruled out the possibility that this remapped response resulted from either eye movements or visual stimuli alone. Our results demonstrate that updating of visual information occurs in human parietal cortex.

NASA Discipline Neuroscience↗