Visualization Tools and Trends A resource tour The obligatory disclaimer
This presentation is provided as part of a discussion on transportation visualization resources. The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) does not endorse nor profit, in whole or in part, from any product or service offered or promoted by any of the commercial interests whose products appear herein. No funding or sponsorship, in whole or in part, has been provided in return for displaying these products. The products are listed herein at the sole discretion of the presenter and are principally oriented toward transportation practitioners as well as graphics and media professionals. The ARC disclaims and waives any responsibility, in whole or in part, for any products, services or merchandise offered by the aforementioned commercial interests or any of their associated parties or entities. You should evaluate your own individual requirements against available resources when establishing your own preferred methods of visualization. What is Visualization • As described on Wikipedia • Illustration • Information Graphics – visual representations of information data or knowledge • Mental Image – imagination • Spatial Visualization – ability to mentally manipulate 2dimensional and 3dimensional figures • Computer Graphics • Interactive Imaging • Music visual
IEEE on Visualization “Traditionally the tool of the statistician and engineer, information visualization has increasingly become a powerful new medium for artists and designers as well. Owing in part to the mainstreaming of computer graphics and the democratization of information sources on the Internet, this new cadre of creative researchers has discovered the possibility of visualization techniques to reveal thought-provoking but otherwise hidden narratives. Often using little more than home computers and widely available programming toolkits, artists and designers have taken material evidence into their own hands and expanded the conceptual horizons of information visualization as a mode of artistic practice and critical inquiry.”
http://vis.computer.org TRB on Visualization
“…visualization technologies have continued to evolve at a considerable pace, yet the highway transportation industry is still years behind its counterparts in aerospace, architecture, plant facilities, automotive, shipping, and others, when it comes to fully embracing visualization tools and the corresponding mindsets. Times, however, are changing. Recent technologies are gaining the awareness and interest of transportation organizations. As fascinating as these advancements are, it is still not clear how visualization directly assists in addressing our transportation needs.”
Excerpt taken from TRB 5th International Visualization in Transportation Symposium program guide dated Oct. 2006 A Visual of Visualization http://www.visual-literacy.org/periodic_table/periodic_table.html Basic Visual Goals • Able to reach 8th grade level • Attention grabbing • Doesn’t require explanation • Says everything without saying anything (hidden narratives) • Ability to create either stationary, animated or interactive images – driven by the viewer experience
Image Rendering (Ray Tracing) • Rendering is the process of creating an image by calculating expected behavior of light against a given material and surface type • Referred to as Ray Tracing since light rays are diffused and/or absorbed during the process The Graphics Turing Test • Based upon Alan Turing’s 1950 test of Artificial Intelligence which states “a judge in three way conversation between a computer and another human should not be able to distinguish the computer from the human”
• Graphics variant sets bar at real time rendering for truly photo realistic animations as the scene is modified by human interaction – virtual reality or “The Matrix” effect
• Not there yet, but VERY rapidly approaching – ABC News article dated 4/4/08 The Hardware Research
• Scalable Visualization using off the shelf components and Monte Carlo estimation http://www.hp.com/techservers/hpc cn/sci_vis/scale_vis_otsc.html
• High Performance Clustering for Visualization http://www.zdnet.com.au/whitepaper/0,2000063328,22442841p-16001495q,00.htm
• Seeing the Future – Scaling, Sharing, and Scheduling Visualization Resources http://www.sun.com/servers/visualization/wp.pdf
• The power of scalable visualization http://www.sgi.com/pdfs/3620.pdf
How Visualization was evaluated for ARC • Standalone Tools • GIS enhancements • CAD resources • Spatial Drafting • Image Rendering and Animation(CGI) • Broadcast and Publication
Software - some of the current options
GIS Enhancements - Google Tools
• Google Earth – No explanation needed • Google SketchUp – designed as a simple way for anyone to quickly create vector based 3D drawings which can be ported with Google Earth • Many pre-made models available for download from the Google 3D warehouse Google SketchUp
• Philips Arena – taken from Google 3D warehouse and edited
The Transportation Model • The primary area of focus for visualization possibilities • Visual results currently limited to 2D network displays, statistical reports, and charting • Emerging tools very similar to Architectural and Engineering rendering tool sets • No one tool does complete job • CAD & GIS • Image Editors & Renderers • Model Flow Staging & Behavior (vehicle and human) Model Flow and Behavior Tools • Cube Dynasim • Import directly from Cube Voyager models • Gaining in flexibility and ease of use • Integrates with Google Sketchup & Google Earth
• PTV Vissim • Widely established for micro simulation • Integrates with Autodesk 3Ds Max rendering engine Model Visuals at OKI • Evaluated effect of queuing and congestion visually • Built using Cube Dynasim - Adobe Illustrator and Google SketchUp • Time to build – 4 months with 4 staff
CAD Software Applications • Bentley Microstation, Geopak Civil, In-Roads www.bentley.com • Autodesk AutoCAD, Civil 3D, Maya, Revit www.autodesk.com • DataCAD www.datacad.com Image Editing Platforms • Adobe CS3 – The Leader in Mainstream Media Production Adobe CS3 Versioning • A full suite of Multi-Media editing tools • Coverage for -Web -Video -Publication -Photography -Imaging Image Editing Platforms GIMP 2.4 • Open Source – free • Supports all image file types – limited support for CMYK colors required for commercial printing (update pending for full support)
CinePaint • Previously known as FilmGIMP • Used to retouch film frame by frame Image Editing Platforms Image Editing Platforms • Open Source – free • Designed to be an alternative to Adobe Illustrator • Compliant with XML, SVG, CSS standards • Does not support animation
Renderers - Yafray
Renderers - Yafray
Renderers - Indigo
• Not Open Source Yet still a Freebie • Based upon Industrial Light & Magic rendering process • Iterative process runs until user intervenes • Capable of distributed processing Renderers - Indigo
Renderers - Indigo
Renderers - Indigo
Renderers - SkINDIGO
• Renders directly from Google SketchUP using instruction set found in Indigo Renderer Renderers - SkINDIGO
• Rendering result from 2 hours of processing
Original SketchUp Image Renderers - Kerkythea
Renderers - Kerkythea
Hybrid Rendering - Blender
• Very complex but very flexible rendering system • Able to render internally or use Indigo, Yafray, Lightwave, Kerkythea and more • Abilities • Rendering still and motion (timeline) • Game Logic
Renderers - AutoDesk 3DS Max
• Choice of the Architectural and Engineering Industries Renderers - AutoDesk 3DS Max
Renderers - AutoDesk 3DS Max
Renderers - Lightwave
• Ports directly with Adobe Photoshop CS3 • Able to render motion • Far superior lighting and hyper v effects • Current choice of major production studios • 24 (Fox) • Alias (ABC) • Babylon 5 (Syndicated/TNT) (1993 Visual FX Emmy Award) • Battle star Galactica - The Series • Charmed (WB) • Dark Angel (Fox) • Family Guy (Fox) • Firefly (Fox - Emmy Winner) • Invader Zim (Nickelodeon) • Lost (ABC) • The 4400 • Smallville (WB) • Stargate Atlantis • Stargate SG-1 (Showtime/SciFi - Emmy Nominee) • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (UPN) • Star Trek: Enterprise (UPN - Emmy Nominee) • Star Trek: Voyager (UPN) (1999, 2001 Visual FX Emmy Winner) • The X-Files (Fox - 2000 Visual FX Emmy Winner) Renderers - Lightwave
Renderers - Lightwave
LWCAD • Created to allow quick city builds from within Lightwave Rendering Engine • Reported to be the fastest method to build entire cities small and large Renderers – Lightwave & LWCAD
Broadcast Video • Endless possibilities when coupled with Lightwave Renderer • TV Studio? Create professional looking studio broadcast without need for physical studio by overlaying rendered image • Record any message in any environment and distribute via any medium • Web • DVD • Broadcast network
Broadcast Video • Rendered studio example 1
Broadcast Video • Rendered Studio example 2
Broadcast Video • Rendered Studio example 3
Broadcast to any device • Why? Future proofing - Broadband networks quickly becoming standard of all media usage
Video distribution possible at any level cellphones up to HD 1080p television 3D/Multimedia Content Resources
• Archvision Real People Content: 3D content, image based trees, people and cars • Onyx Tree: Source for 3D Tree and Plant Parametric Modeler • Digimation: Source for 3D models and textures • Image Cels: Source for 3D models and textures • Marlin Studios: Source for 3D models and textures • ModelVision: Source for 3D models and textures • TurboSquid: Source for 3D models and textures • Okino Graphics: Conversion and publishing software for 3D and image based formats • Right Hemisphere: Conversion and publishing software for 3D and image based formats Other Applications • Eon Reality – Realtime 3D authoring tool www.eonreality.com • Anark Studio - Realtime 3D authoring tool www.anark.com • Quicktime – Media Distiller and Viewer www.apple.com • Cortona VRML Viewer www.cortona3d.com 3D Organizations • ACM SIGGRAPH - Association for Computing Machinery's Special Interest Group on Graphics and Interactive Techniques • 3D Industry Forum • TRB Viz • Urban Simulation • National Center for Simulation • Digital Earth
Where do we start • Narrow the opportunities to small set of immediate realistic goals for visualization followed by phased approach to a series of more complex goals • Decide what the unspoken narrative should be • Draw Roadmap for achieving desired result • Tools necessary for solution will be determined as a result of roadmap planning • Staff resources & skill set
What if we wait or do nothing • Risk of being viewed as stagnant in our presentation mediums • Risk of another party visualizing a narrative differing from our own and gaining credibility especially given the emergence of many good free tools • Likelihood that younger generations will not engage in the process as they are completely accustomed to visual information dissemination Flash Web content, iPod, YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, Multi-faceted Gaming Consoles Sometimes referred to as snippet kiddies by media designers Possible Uses • Land Use Image Rendering • Microsimulation model presentation • Interactive Public Involvement Utility using Blender Game Logic function • Excellent example in Carnegie Mellon University's Alice project. Teachs kids Java programming language while
they play a SIMS like game. www.alice.org • Video – traditional or rendered • Distribute via YouTube, Myspace, Facebook • Enable content available via cell phone
Possible Uses • Google Earth – use photography placeholders to show current condition along with rendered “after” image • LCI and DRI evaluation by rendered concept submission • Application showing effect via rendered images when capacity and transportation mix changes (buildings disappear for right of way change, transit additions, actual lane widths) Questions
Thank you!
Curt Davis (404)463-3268 [email protected]