Abstract Rear-Projecting Virtual Data onto Physical Terrain: An Exercise in Two Senses Being Better Than One

• Main Authors: Ieee Visualization, Dru Clark, Rosemarie Mckeon, Richard Marciano, Michael Bailey
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Prince of Wales Island; Alaska
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.96.2084; http://regionalworkbench.org/files/Clark_etal_paper.pdf

This paper describes a project that combined physical model fabrication and virtual computer-based data display to create a unique visualization presentation. USGS terrain information on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska was used to create a physical prototype in SDSC’s TeleManufacturing Facility. This model was then used as a mold to create a translucent plate of the terrain. Finally, deforestation data from the island was color mapped and rear-projected onto the translucent plate within a light box. The result is a very compelling display in which both the senses of sight and touch are used to make relationships between terrain features and the data more readily apparent.