Interactive Narrative Content and Context for Visualization

1. Interactive Narrative Content and Context for Visualization Curtis Wong Group Manager Next Media Research Microsoft Research Visualization of Astrophysical Data: Bringing together Science, Art & Education

2. Overview • 5 min - Conceptual overview of Interactive narrative • 5 min - Leonardo da Vinci – Context and Visualization • 5 min - Commanding Heights – Enhanced broadband TV • 5 min - Interactive Universe – Extensible narrative • 10 min General Q & A

3. Overview Interactive Narrative • How do we make astronomical visualization even more effective for research, education and public outreach? • Backstory – one person’s journey to understanding • Leonardo da Vinci, Codex Hammer 1980 • Voyager, Criterion Collection 1990 • Continuum, 1995

4. The three layered cake • Story • The opening hook - Why should I care? • Layered narrative • Sets the stage and provides enough background to enable exploration • Contextual Exploration • Visualization WITH narrative “what’s going on” • Interactive • In context explanation • Links to related contextual data • Links back to stories • Simulation – user driven with explanation of what’s going on • Resources • Original data/documents • Ability to draw their own conclusions • Links out to related resources

5. Leonardo da Vinci

6. Pre-title Background Renaissance Leonardo’s Life Treatise on Nature Water Earth Heavens The Architecture of Leonardo da VinciExploration and context – circa 1997 Story Mind of the Master Interactive Exhibits – water, light, the heavens Paintings – Spatial contextual presentation Context & Visualization Timeline – paintings and historical context Codex Leicester – Contextual translation Web Page Web Page Web Page Web Page Web Page Original source documents Information

7. Commanding HeightsThe Battle for the World Economy "This site takes a blue chip TV series and uses broadband to push forward the boundaries of programme extension. Every element from the original series is available, but fascinatingly accessible in ways that can only be achieved online. The content, navigation and design are impeccable. The potential dry subject of globalisation is brought powerfully to life, and the learning journeys are directly under the user's control. This is a milestone in the development of broadband content." - British Academy of Film and Television Arts

8. Commanding Heights Architecture • Program proposal excerpt:

9. Interactive UniverseA framework for an extensible engagement, exploration and education of topics in Astronomy

10. Story (s) Context Reference Story Extensible Architecture Sky Catalog • Closely coupled/tightly integrated • Story – Engagement • Accessible layered stories • Basic astronomy to current areas of research • Layered to enable beginners to engage • Short narratives of areas of current research linked to: • Linked to layers below • Context – Visualization and exploration • Interactive sky maps (size/location et al context) • Rich simulation and visualizations with links up/down to Story and Reference • Reference – Object catalog & source database • Visual object catalog enable browsing and pivoting by similarity • Original source data

11. Story Story mode Stellar Evolution Story mentions gravitational condensation of proto-stars from hydrogen and galactic dust And links to related content appears below Clicking on the related link below takes you to the object in context of the sky Nebula

12. Sky mode Sky Stellar Evolution Nebula

13. Context – How big/far away is it? Sky Illustrating the context of apparent scale and spatial location in comparison to common reference objects: trees, houses, moon etc. Nebula

14. Reference Catalog Catalog

15. Reference Catalog Catalog

16. Story Module e.g. Galaxy formation Image Catalog Zooming Annotated Sky maps Sky Server Terabyte database Conceptual Navigation Architecture Story Context SourceDocs

17. Conceptual Navigation Architecture Additional linked stories e.g. Supernova expansion structure Story Story Module e.g. Galaxy formation Story Image Catalog Zooming Annotated Sky maps Context Sky Server Terabyte database SourceDocs

18. Opportunity • Build an Integrated learning prototype • Extensible story based framework • Stories closely linked INTO visualizations, simulations and contextual resources • Built on top of a rich database

19. The dream scenario… • Integrated learning prototype • Rich visual stories from Astro 101 core to latest topics in astronomy • Television documentaries • Illustrated lectures • Other narratives • Rich contextual resources linked in • Interactive simulations • National Virtual Observatory • Interactive Atlas of the Universe • Digital Universe • Built on top of a rich database • Which takes advantage of a existing rich database • Deep resource materials • Linking of domains specific reference data • Tie simulation to story and reference • Accessible links to real data • So any kid can engage with the stories, get drawn in and explore topics of interest and dive deeply to make their own discoveries working with real data.