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Visualization in Problem Solving Environments. Amit Goel Department of Computer Science Virginia Tech June 14, 1999. Overview. Introduction to PSEs Description of VizCraft Description of WBCSim Summary. Problem Solving Environments. Solve problems in a specific domain
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Visualization in Problem Solving Environments Amit Goel Department of Computer Science Virginia Tech June 14, 1999
Overview • Introduction to PSEs • Description of VizCraft • Description of WBCSim • Summary
Problem Solving Environments • Solve problems in a specific domain • Integrated set of facilities • Usually involve legacy codes • Provide a GUI to legacy codes • Visualization: an important component • Usually provide optimization capabilities • Web accessibility • Expert or “recommender” systems
Problem Solving Environments (contd.) • Two PSEs presented: • VizCraft: for configuration design of a High Speed Civil Transport • WBCSim: for wood-based composites simulations
VizCraft: A PSE for HSCT Configuration • Addresses the HSCT design problem • minimize an objective function (TOGW) • meet a series of constraints • Provides an integrated GUI to HSCT design code • wireframe model of HSCT planform • instant feedback on experimental changes in geometry • ability to store and retrieve designs
VizCraft: A PSE for HSCT Configuration (contd.) • Evaluate a single design point • Browse a database of design points using Parallel Coordinates • Graphical view of design variables and constraint violations • Point to icon transformations • VRML view of HSCT planform
Parallel Coordinates • Lay out design variables on parallel axes • Provide visualization of design vectors • Reduce 29 dimensions into a 2-D pattern recognition problem • No loss of mathematical information • Query/visualize databases of design points • Alternatives? • Techniques: Scatterplots • Packages: MATLAB, Mathematica, PVWave
Parallel Coordinates Example Single design point
Parallel Coordinates Example (contd.) Constraint violations for a single design point
Parallel Coordinates Example (contd.) Visualizing a database of design points
Parallel Coordinates Example (contd.) Recognizing patterns and relationships in a database
Parallel Coordinates Example (contd.) Result of “brushing” out design points
VizCraft: Concluding Remarks • Interactive data exploration: a key feature • Provides a high-level abstraction to complex underlying operations • Modular approach through object-oriented programming in Java • Parallel coordinates module used for visualizing other high-dimensional systems • Intuitive feel for parallel coordinates can be realized with usage and practice
VizCraft: Future Possibilities • Remote visualization via the Web • Integration of optimization tools (DOT, VisualDOC) • “Steering” capabilities
WBCSim: A PSE for Wood-Based Composites Simulations • Provides a GUI to legacy Fortran simulation codes • Integrates simulation, visualization, and optimization • Various simulations supported • Accessible off the Web
WBCSim User Interface Input window for the Composite Materials Analysis Simulation
WBCSim User Interface (contd.) Example output from Composite Materials Analysis simulation
WBCSim: Visualization • VRML chosen as the primary environment for visualizing output • a recognized standard for 3D visualization • VRML viewers freely available & easy to use • simple syntax makes VRML generation easy • VRML translators written to provide visualization for specific needs
WBCSim: Contributions • Provides an integrated set of facilities for solving problems in the wood-composite domain • Web-based implementation allows scientists to work away from their laboratories, and from various platforms • Greater use of simulation tools • Scientists uncovered new bugs
Summary • Two problem solving environments presented: VizCraft and WBCSim • Provide high-level abstraction over command-line driven simulation codes • Integrate visualization with computation, helping scientists be more productive