Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
often advertise new products; visualizations of
such abstract qualities as the beauty, novelty, or
the prestige that would come from using a product
persuade us to buy this product, even if we did not
plan to do it. Everyday encounters with visualiza-
tions may include, for example histograms of test
scores showing average score and score frequency;
or cycle diagrams helping us to identify and assess
a specific task, identify and review drawbacks,
design solutions, and communicate the results.
We learn through visualizations about the
atomic structure of matter, as we cannot see
anything on the molecular, nanoscale level. Re-
searchers are developing nanoscale visualization
tools because we cannot see “images” coming
from the scanning, transmission, and scanning
tunneling electron microscopes, polarizing, 3D
imaging fluorescence confocal microscopes, or
any other tools for imaging in nano scale. For
example, DNA chains have diameter about 2 nm
(nanometers, 2x10
-9
m), while human eye can see
wavelengths from about 390 nm to 750 nm. One of
the most popular visualizations of the biological
data on the molecular, nanoscale level is a spiral,
rotating picture of a DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
molecule. Visualization tools for research on nano-
structures are usually developed in cooperation
between biology and computer science specialists.
The Cosmos, which is on the other side of the
micro-macro range of dimensions, can also be
“seen” almost exclusively through the use of vi-
sualization tools. Visible spectrum of light consti-
tutes only a small part of the radiation wavelength
available for observation. Most of telescopes used
in astronomy do not form an image in the same
way as telescopes at visible wavelengths. Experts
in particular fields of study in astronomy develop
visualization methods to be able to communicate
their results. In topics and online pages we can
often also view artists' impressions of the technical
imaging. Astronomical space observatories use
space telescopes that operate in selected frequency
ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum. There-
fore, astronomers are specializing in radio (radar)
astronomy, sub-milimeter astronomy, far-infrared
and infrared astronomy, visible -light astronomy,
ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma ray astronomy. For
example, radio telescopes can record wavelengths
1 mm and more, ultraviolet telescopes operate in
the spectrum 10 nm - 400 nm, X-ray telescopes
work in 0.01 nm - 10 nm frequency range, while
gamma ray telescopes operate in less than 0.01
nm wavelengths. As these are not wavelengths
available for observation, visualization is a tool of
choice to learn and teach about Cosmos.
6. CULTURAL HERITAGE
KNOWLEDGE VISUALIZATION
As David Brooks (2011) wrote, “We inherit
a great river of knowledge, a flow of patterns
coming from many sources. The information
that comes from deep in the evolutionary past
we call genetics. The information passed along
from hundreds of years ago we call culture. The
information passed along from decades ago we
call family, and the information offered months
ago we call education. But it is all information
that flows through us. “Our cultural and heritage
resources are explored with interdisciplinary
research projects involving visual, sonic and al-
gorithmic techniques for interactive visualization
(Kenderdine, 2010). The practice of visualization
of the digital cultural heritage is well established;
it is aimed at developing a digital heritage treasury
of archival media, and also reflects contemporary
artistic practices, culture, and heritage traditions.
Material culture is presented as digital content
with the use of augmented visualization offered by
mobile technologies, game engines, and interactive
environments. Research on interpretative heritage
comprises studies of previously lived cultures and
recently also the users' role in the formation of
cultural knowledge. Pumpa & Wyeld (2006) used
a multi-dimensional database used in a 3D game
environment as a particularly efficient method to
represent the types of narratives used by Australian
