November 2, A Reprocessing Tool for Quantitative Data Analysis in a Virtual Environment E. J. Griffith, F. H. Post, M. Koutek, T. Heus and H. J. J. Jonker 13 th ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology Eric Griffith

November 2, 2006 Introduction Scientific analysis is an iterative, exploratory process Analysis of very large, time-dependant data sets is both time consuming and difficult We attempt to ease and speed the process Data “reprocessing” Interactive VR visualization Introduction ▪ Method Overview ▪ Software System ▪ Case Study ▪ Conclusion ▪ Questions

November 2, 2006 Method Overview 1.Generate Raw Data 2.Initial Preprocessing 3.VR Visualization Introduction ▪ Method Overview ▪ Software System ▪ Case Study ▪ Conclusion ▪ Questions 4.Study Objects in VR 5.Data “Reprocessing” 6.Produce Final Results

November 2, 2006 Software System – Preprocessing Data described in an XML file Data transformations Expression parsing Scalar and vector data Output options Downsampled/Extract versions Generated data New data is added by editing the XML file and reprocessing the data Only new output is generated Introduction ▪ Method Overview ▪ Software System ▪ Case Study ▪ Conclusion ▪ Questions bin_grid = bin(grid) volume = sum(bin_grid) ql_vec = sumdim(sumdim(grid, 0), 0) / sumdim(sumdim(bin_grid, 0), 0)

November 2, 2006 Software System – Visualization Focus on interesting objects Select/manipulate objects Properties in graph window(s) Slice through volumetric data Browse through time Extend time spent with the VE by including new data Introduction ▪ Method Overview ▪ Software System ▪ Case Study ▪ Conclusion ▪ Questions

November 2, 2006 Case Study – Cumulus Clouds LES of shallow cumulus clouds Identified interesting clouds Plotted cloud top/bottom vs. time Integrated liquid water over x and y and plotted vs. time Noted pulse-like behavior of clouds Verified with buoyancy Repeated for numerous clouds to generalize results Further examined behavior in the VE Introduction ▪ Method Overview ▪ Software System ▪ Case Study ▪ Conclusion ▪ Questions

November 2, 2006 Case Study – Video Introduction ▪ Method Overview ▪ Software System ▪ Case Study ▪ Conclusion ▪ Questions Example from our research

November 2, 2006 Conclusions and Future Directions Conclusions: Faster turnaround between computation and visualization More information in the virtual environment Easily incorporate new information in the VE Future Directions: More extensive use of the software within our research More and varied data included in the VE Move towards interactive computation from within the VE Ultimate goal is an environment where virtual experiments can be performed within the VE Introduction ▪ Method Overview ▪ Software System ▪ Case Study ▪ Conclusion ▪ Questions

November 2, 2006 Questions Introduction ▪ Method Overview ▪ Software System ▪ Case Study ▪ Conclusion ▪ Questions