IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications最新文献

We propose critical interactivity as a concept to study and design the dynamic and transitory aspects of data visualizations. Theoretically, interactivity is often described as the means to support analytical tasks, while in practice, it encompasses the techniques that alter visual representations. These notions are a useful starting point to study the role of interactivity in critical engagements with data visualizations. At the core of critical interactivity is the negotiation of authority and agency: authority as authors provide structure and context, and agency as viewers navigate and interpret the data on their own terms. This raises the critical question: who has the power to control the visualization? Drawing from four case studies in science communication, art history, anthropology, and climate advocacy, we examine how critical interactivity links exploration and narration. We reflect on the effort involved in preparing data and propose design strategies for implementing critical interactivity in data visualization.

In Brazil, the confluence of the Amazon and the Rio Negro is referred to as the Meeting of Waters. One river is black, and the other is a sandy, light brown color. The two rivers flow together, but they do not mix.

Industry 5.0 offers the potential to reshape manufacturing processes and aims to improve the working environment for all users. The promise of the natural integration of immersive technologies, namely, augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) and usable spatial interfaces, with traditional industry processes presents an opportunity to improve efficiency, accuracy, training, and collaboration. However, for Industry 5.0 to deliver on this potential, it is paramount that fully inclusive systems are created by placing all users at the center of the AR/VR spatial interface design, development, and implementation. This article discusses hurdles that could manifest in Industry 5.0 AR/VR spatial interfaces for users with physical impairments. We discuss the challenges that have been reported in prior academic literature specifically relating to software, hardware, ethics, and collaboration and connect these to spatial interface elements for potential Industry 5.0 uses of AR/VR technology. We present six indicative Industry 5.0 spatial interface scenarios, which cover a spectrum of potential applications ranging from training though to collaboration, and illustrate where these barriers may manifest for users with a physical impairment. While we do not present an exhaustive list of scenarios, we present a representation of tasks and a starting point for discussion, which can inform developers, designers, and researchers on how to consider a more inclusive approach to spatial Industry 5.0 interfaces.

In this article, we introduce a playful learning method for teaching computer graphics, grounded in the three traditional learning theories of flow, constructivism, and cognitive load. Our approach consists of two main stages: first, the theoretical concepts are delivered through traditional lectures, and then, students engage in practical exercises designed to reduce cognitive load, promote flow, and provide hands-on experience with complex topics. We tested this method in a second-year undergraduate computer graphics course focused on transformations. Feedback from students and the quality of their final projects indicate a positive reception to this playful learning approach. To incorporate this approach into other computer graphics courses and more easily extend it to other topics, we also give an overview of freely available online tools anyone can use.

Uncertainty visualization plays a critical role in transforming ensemble simulation data into actionable insights by effectively communicating various dimensions of uncertainty within a system. The emergence of artificial intelligence-driven surrogate models trained on multirun ensemble data offers a transformative opportunity to replace computationally intensive simulations with fast estimates, enabling users to explore data spaces with unprecedented depth and interactivity. However, integrating ensemble data and surrogate models into decision-making workflows and tools introduces novel challenges for uncertainty visualization. These include reconciling and clearly communicating the unique uncertainties associated with ensembles and their surrogate model estimates, and leveraging these approximations to inform actionable decisions. This work explores these challenges in the context of high-dimensional data visualization, bridging discrete datasets with their continuous representations and addressing the complexities of systems that support iterative navigation between input and output spaces. We evaluate the role of uncertainty visualization in fostering intuitive, actionable interactions and identify critical hurdles in advancing this frontier of computational simulation.

This article presents a design report on a humanistically informed data visualization of a dataset related to the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The visualization employs a quantitative dataset of slaving voyages that took place between 1565 and 1858 and uses historical scholarship and humanistic theory in order to call attention to the people behind the data, as well as to what the data do not or cannot represent. In this article, we summarize the intersecting histories of slavery and data and then outline the theories that inform our design: of the archive of slavery, of the dangers of restaging historical violence, and of visibility, opacity, representation, and resistance. We then describe our design approach and discuss the visualization's ability to honor the lives of the enslaved by calling attention to their acts of resistance, both recorded and unrecorded.

Presenting data visually is a cornerstone of effective science communication. While prior studies have investigated humans' ability to effectively perceive values in charts, fewer have focused on the translation of perceived values to real-world conclusions. Those that do focus on real-world understanding often utilize convenience samples or focus on very simple graphic formats, resulting in an incomplete understanding of how viewers translate data graphics into meaningful conclusions. We utilize a probability-based sample of over 3,000 participants in the U.S. to test user understanding of three chart types and find that both educational attainment and age play a role in ability to interpret data graphics. Our work demonstrates a need for further study on how chart comprehension and comfort with drawing real-world conclusions differs across demographic groups and commonly-used chart types. Additionally, this work highlights that complex charts can be inaccessible to viewers who lack confidence in reading a chart.

This study addresses the need for scenario-specific drone simulators to enhance research, education, pilot training, and performance evaluation across diverse mission contexts. A gamified simulator was developed for the joint master's degree program "Security and Defence" between the Open University of Cyprus (OUC) and the Hellenic Air Force Academy (HAFA), with a focus on Search and Rescue mission training and planning. The simulator balances interface design, physics accuracy, and environmental realism to support specialized professional training and research. A survey-based evaluation involving 57 participants -pilots, engineers, and air traffic controllers -demonstrated the tool's ability to provide realistic experiences for trained pilots and meaningful learning opportunities for novices. Statistical analysis revealed significant correlations between gaming familiarity, task completion times, and participant expertise.

Screen-space ambient occlusion (SSAO) has become a widely used technique in real-time rendering, valued for its high performance and full support for dynamic geometry. However, applying SSAO directly to stereo rendering can result in incorrect depth perception and viewer discomfort due to differences in captured scene approximations between the left and right views. Existing methods for generating stereo-consistent SSAO often involve substantial computational costs. This paper introduces an adaptive method, inspired by Weber's law, to enhance the efficiency of achieving stereo-consistent SSAO. Our method identifies inconsistent pixels generated by cost-effective SSAO algorithms, such as monoscopic SSAO, and selectively applies computationally intensive stereo-aware computations only to those pixels. Experiments demonstrate that our method delivers stereo-consistent results comparable to state-of-the-art techniques while significantly enhancing rendering performance.

The continuous evolution of artificial intelligence and advanced algorithms capable of generating information from simplified input creates new opportunities for several scientific fields. Currently, the applicability of such technologies is limited to art and medical domains, but it can be applied to engineering domains to help the architects and urban planners design environmentally friendly solutions by proposing several alternatives in a short time. This work utilizes the image-inpainting algorithm for suggesting several alternative solutions to four European cities. In addition, this work suggests the utilization of a voting-based framework for finding the most preferred solution for each case study. The voting-based framework involves the participation of citizens and, as a result, decentralizes and democratizes the urban planning process. Finally, this research indicates the importance of deploying generative models in engineering applications by proving that generative AI models are capable of supporting the architects and urban planners in urban planning procedures.