CMSC 491B / 691B:
Visualization Techniques
Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Department
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Autumn 1999
Time: MW 3:30-4:45pm FA 006
Instructors:
Dr. Penny Rheingans, 215 ECS,
rheingan@cs.umbc.edu, Phone:(410)455-3554
Description: 
This course will cover topics in visualization: scientific visualization,
medical visualization, information visualization, and volume rendering
techniques. The format for the course will be group discussions of papers,
some lectures by the instructors, and some student presentations of papers.
The grading will be based on participation in class, critical assignments,
and class projects.
Class projects may be done individually or in groups. Projects have the
potential of leading to work that forms the basis of an Undergraduate
Research Project, Master's project, or Ph.D. research topic. A partial
list of topics includes the following:
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Scalar Visualization Techniques
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Volume Visualization Techniques
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Perception and Visualization
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Visualization Design
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Flow Visualization Techniques
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Medical Visualization Techniques
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Information Visualization Techniques
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Sterescopic & VR Techniques for Visualization
Tentative Schedule
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Week 1 : Organization and Introduction to visualization
goals, data sources, data representation
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Sept 1: Overview
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Sept 6: Labor Day Holiday
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Sept 8: From Graphics to Visualization
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Week 2 : Scalar Visualization
color, geometry, texture
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Week 3 : Volume Visualization
contouring, ray casting
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Week 4 : Volume Visualization
splatting, transfer functions, acceleration
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Sept 27: Direct Volume Rendering II
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Sept 29: Direct Volume Rendering III
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Reading
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Week 5 : Perception
visual mechanisms and characteristics, perception of pattern, color, depth, and motion
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Oct 4: Spatial Vision
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Oct 6: Color and Depth Perception
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Reading
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Week 6 : Visualization Design / Flow Visualization
design of effective visualizations; traditional flow vis techniques
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Oct 11: Design Issues
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Oct 13: Flow Vis: Marker Techniques
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Reading
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Week 7 : Flow Visualization
texture-based techniques, LIC
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Oct 18: Flow Vis: Texture Approaches
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Oct 20: Flow Vis: LIC
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Reading
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Week 8 : Guest Lectures, Topics TBA
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Week 9 : Medical Visualization
goals, data sources, medical image processing, segmentation
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Nov 1: Medical Vis: Goals and Data
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Nov 3: Medical Vis: Techniques and Algorithms
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Reading
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Week 10 : Medical Visualization
vis techniques, applications, validity
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Nov 8: Medical Vis: Applications
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Nov 10: Medical Vis: Assessment
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Reading
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Week 11 : Information Visualization
visualization of text, databases,
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Nov 15: Infovis Goals and Problems
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Nov 17: Glyph-based Infovis
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Reading
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Week 12 : Information Visualization
visualization of networks, relationships, high-dimensional data
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Nov 22: Dynamic Infovis
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Nov 24: Web-based Infovis, Distortion Viewing
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Reading
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Week 13 : Advanced Display
interaction, VR, haptics, sonification, true 3D displays
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Week 14 : Future Trends / Project Presentations
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Week 15 : Project Presentations
Readings: Students will read and discuss seminal and current technical research papers. A list of readings (in progress and subject to frequent
update) is available
here .
Textbook:
The Visualization Toolkit, by William Schroeder, Ken Martin, Bill Lorensen,
2nd Edition, 1997
The following books may also be useful as references.
- Computer Graphics: Principles and Practice, 2nd Edition, Foley,
van Dam, Feiner, Hughes, Addison Wesley, 1993.
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Texturing and Modeling: A Procedural Approach, Second Edition,
Ebert, et. al., AP Professional, 1997.
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Radiosity and Realistic Image Synthesis, Cohen and Wallace, AP Professional
1994.
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Principles of Digital Image Synthesis, Andrew Glassner, Morgan Kaufman
1994.
Assignments:
Software available for projects includes:
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vtk:
- rooted at /cerberus/sfa/vtk2.2/vtk and /usr/cs/vtk2.4
- executable vtk in $ROOT/bin/vtk
- many examples in $ROOT/graphics/examplesTcl (run by "vtk scriptname.tcl")
- additional information at the
Vtk Homepage
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OpenDX:
- rooted at /cerberus/sfa/vlad/dx
- executable dx in $ROOT/bin/dx
- online tutor available by typing "dx -tutor"
- many examples in $ROOT/samples/*
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Both packages are currently compiled for SGI machines.
Grades:
Grades will be assigned on the basis of construction of visualizations (15%),
critical reviews of published visualizations (10%),
discussions of technical papers (15%), and class project (60%).
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact David Ebert, ebert@cs.umbc.edu
or Penny Rheingans, rheingan@cs.umbc.edu.