Visual Computing at Virginia Tech

- Enabling Communication, Analysis, Insight -
 
Executive Summary of Visual Computing Plan - describes the relation to National Capitol Region and complex systems research

Figure 1: Concept Map for Visual Computing as a
Critical, Transformational Technology

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
Faculty Testimonials for Visual Computing as a University resource (collected Fall 2006)  
Visual Computing Plan (Slides) - a brief slideset outlining the motivation and vision  
Visual Computing Proposal - a proposal examining the history, status, and new vision for visualization at VT  
Initial Visual Computing Budget - a 5 year plan to build out facilities and staff and re-establish a world-class visualization program  
ICTAS proposal 2006 - a proposal to fund hardware upgrades for the Visual Computing plan; also describes Dr. Polys's research agenda (submitted)  
Spring and Summer FDI Tracks @ VT  
NSF Center for e-Design  
 
 
 

Visual Computing tools facilitate analytical reasoning on large heterogeneous data sets through interactive visual interfaces. Visual Computing tools include graphical user interfaces, virtual environments, information visualization, and augmented reality. Such tools are also known as 'visual analytics' tools and complement data-mining, statistics and High-Performance Computing systems such as simulation and numeric computation.

Visual computing research activities include visualization, computer graphics, image processing, medical imaging, virtual reality, user interfaces, computer-supported collaborative work, computer-aided design, multimedia, and computational geometry, as well as numerous applications of these areas. Figure 1 shows a conceptual model of the role of Visual Computing as a transformational technology. The Visual Computing Group of Virginia Tech will provide the dedicated staff and infrastructure support required to fully realize the potential of visual computing for computational science and education at Virginia Tech.

The group represents an important element of advancing VT leadership in research and education through visual communication. Through faculty and graduate education and development support, VT will help scientist and researchers to be more productive and more competitive. In addition, the proposed plan will proliferate visual computing solutions around university and classrooms.

The Visual Computing Group will anchor VT's efforts in establishing visual computing as a core competency and world-class resource.