U-M Future of Visualization Committee Issues Report

U-M Future of Visualization Committee Issues Report

The U-M Future of Visualization Committee* issued a report early this month focusing on the role Visualization plays at the University of Michigan, as well as steps for addressing growing needs on campus. The report concluded that two “visualization hubs” should be created on campus to make computing visualization services more accessible to our campus research community. “The hubs envisioned by the committee would leverage existing resources and consist of advanced workstations, high bandwidth connectivity, and collaborative learning spaces, with a support model based on that of the Duderstadt Center and Flux. The hardware and software would be configured to allow departments or individuals to purchase their own resources in a way that would reduce fragmentation and allow for efficient support, training, and maintenance.” (Text courtesy of Dan Miesler and ARC)

The following excerpts from the executive summary of the report highlight the importance and educational value of visualization services:

“The University of Michigan has seen incredible growth and change over the years. The growth will continue as we innovate and adapt. How we teach, conduct research, facilitate student learning, push technological boundaries, and collaborate with our peers will create demand for new tools and infrastructure. One such need is visualization because of the imperative role it plays in facilitating innovation. When one considers the vast quantities of data currently being generated from disparate domains, methods that facilitate discovery, exploration, and integration become necessary to ensure those data are understood and effectively used.

There is a great opportunity to change the way research and education has been done but to also allow for a seamless transition between the two through advancements in connectivity, mobility, and visualization. The opportunity here is tremendous, complex, and in no way trivial. Support for a responsive and organized visualization program and its cyberinfrastructure needs is necessary to leverage the opportunities currently present at the University of Michigan.”

A full copy of the report is available here.

*The committee was created by Dan Atkins with the charge of evaluating existing visualization technologies and methods on campus; developing an action plan for addressing deficiencies in visualization needs; establishing a group of visualization leaders; and communicating with the community on visualization topics. It is composed of faculty members and staff from ARC, University Libraries, Dentistry, LSA, the Medical School, ITS, Architecture and Urban Planning, Atmospheric and Oceanic and Space Sciences, and the College of Engineering. (Text courtesy of Dan Miesler and ARC)

Concentrate Media: On the Cutting Edge of 3D

Concentrate Media: On the Cutting Edge of 3D

Patrick Dunn, Concetrate Media:

“Because there are different paths one can take, it helps to go to one location where there are multiple individuals who are well-versed in those different paths,” … “It really helps people to find their direction.”

The accessibility of U-M’s facility makes it a particularly rare gem. The lab provides unique ease of access to technology that’s on the rise but still fairly exotic to the general public, like the 3D printers. And in the case of the MIDEN, it’s one of only a couple of publicly accessible similar facilities nationwide.

“Generally these technologies are locked behind doors because they’re very expensive, they require expertise, and they can be very delicate,” … “Here, people say, ‘We want to use the MIDEN,’ and we say ‘Okay, we’ll help you do what you want to do.'”

Visit Story at ConcentrateMedia

Remote Dance Performances

Remote Dance Performances

Shortly after the acquisition of the University of Michigan’s first motion capture system faculty and students began exploring its use for the performing arts. One such project involved two dancers who coordinated their performances remotely. With one dancer performing in the MIDEN and the other in the Video Studio they effectively created a complete performance. The MIDEN performer wore our motion capture suit and had their point cloud (visualization of just her joints) streamed to the Video Studio where the other dancer was performing.

Another project related to remote performances involved a faculty member from the school of music who specialized in jazz compositions. He conducted a collection of performers remotely using methods similar to the dancers above. One unique challenge was the expressiveness and articulation of the composers hands and face. To solve this we placed additional markers on his face and hands so the remote musicians could identify his facial expressions and hand poses.