Infosthetics: the beauty of data visualization

suchandra · March 30, 2007

one of the most symmetrical mathematical structures in the universe, calculated by 18 mathematicians over 4 years & generated by about 77 hours of supercomputer computation. as one of the most complicated of the "exceptional simple Lie groups" , "E8" describes the symmetries of a 57-dimensional object that can in essence be rotated in 248 ways without changing its appearance. according to the researchers, this "some sort of curvy, torus type of thing" ... "could well determine the deep inner structure of the universe".

see also ulam prime spiral & number spiral & math sculptures & lorenz manifold.

[links: aimath.org & aimath.org (pdf)|via nytimes.com & telegraph.co.uk]

continue reading "symmetrical mathematics" »

a new visual mind mapping, or "idea visualization" interface that supports brainstorming & organizing ideas online. as in traditional brainstorming, or “mind mapping”, this website allows for a central idea to branch of in circles with new branches containing new ideas, creating a free form diagram.

see also 3D mind scape.

a novel method for visualizing compound graphs, which typically show hierarchical relations between items. hierarchical edge bundling is based on the principle of visually bundling adjacency edges together analogous to the way electrical wires & network cables are merged into bundles along their joint paths & fanned out again at the end, in order to make an otherwise tangled web of wires & cables more manageable. it reduces visual clutter & can be used in conjunction with existing tree visualization techniques.

this academic work received the best paper award at the Infovis 2006 conference.

reminds me a bit of thinking machine & pivotgraph.

an impressive planetarium artwork visualizing the aerial technologies (e.g. planes, satellites, weather balloons, space debris, etc.) hovering, flying, & drifting above us. this project combines science, statistical display, & contemporary art by interpreting the mechanical patterns of these systems as 'culturally significant poetics'. with help from government agencies & science community, the artists worked with tracking & protocol statistics to create 3D models of the airborne systems. a team of animators visualized those models in a style that reflects the chaos, force, & influence of these technologies.

see also flight pattern map.

[cmlab.com|via nmazca.com]

a new data visualization application that helps users to organize information (e.g. documents, images, emails & web pages) held in computer files by showing it in a 3D landscape that reveals details & relationships, using an approach similar to concept or mind maps, but in 3D. users can drag files & information onto topics, & connect the topics themselves so they reflect their personalized thinking. topics may represent concepts, subjects, categories, or classifications, & can appear in several places at once.

see also 3d tactile desktop metaphor & space browser.