Visualization is the process of representing data as descriptive images and, subsequently, interacting with these images in order to gain additional insight into the data. Traditionally, computer graphics has provided a powerful mechanism for creating and manipulating these representations. At IBM, graphics and visualization research addresses the problem of converting data into compelling and revealing images that suit users’ needs. Our research includes developing new representations of 3D geometry, choosing appropriate graphical realizations of data, strategies for collaborative visualization in a networked environment using three dimensional data, and designing software systems that support a full range of display formats ranging from PDAs to immersive multi-display visualization environments.
Below is a listing of several of the exciting research projects in graphics and visualization being conducted at IBM Research.
Projects
- 3D Geometric Modeling
Computer-aided 3D geometric modeling has become very popular in many areas including industrial design. Our goal is to develop technologies for generating a 3D models and effectively modifying these models. Physically-based surface design and wireframe-surface conversion are the focus of our research.
- 3D Scanning
Three dimensional scanning has become a very active area in computer graphics. The requirements for computer graphics are different from those of traditional scanning applications. At IBM Watson Research, we are developing scanning systems for producing virtual objects that can be rendered with high visual quality.
- Bubble Mesh
High density meshes are required to obtain accurate results of FEM analysis and to enhance the quality of computer graphics. A repeating hexagonal pattern is a common mesh pattern that is observed in soap bubbles floating in liquid, compound eyes of insects, and many other natural phenomena. Bubble meshing is proposed as a physically-based triangulation method that simulates such natural phenomena.
- Deep Computing Visualization
IBM Deep Computing Visualization provides a scalable, collaborative, middleware infrastructure to help support and enhance the graphics functions of OpenGL software applications.
- Deep Thunder
The mission of the weather modeling group at IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center is to utilize the latest developments in meteorology and information technology to enable reliable, affordable numerical predictions for customer applications. We are part of the on-going initiative in Deep Computing -- to provide the ability to analyze large amounts of data and develop solutions to very complex problems.
- Everywhere Displays
The Everywhere Displays project aims to develop systems that allow the transformation of every surface in a space into a projected "touch screen".
- IBM MPEG-4 Technologies
The Composite Media Technologies Group has developed cross-platform MPEG-4 standard compliant technologies, with a particular focus on lightweight portable client playback and on authoring of composite media, both manual and automated. Automated machine generation of interoperable, exchangeable media content is applicable for on-demand as well as live solutions and can include adaptive technologies.
- Many Eyes
A new Web site from the Collaborative User Experience (CUE) Visual Communication Lab combines information visualization with social software, enabling groups of users to collaborate on chosen visualizations. Introduced at Lotusphere in January 2007, the Many Eyes site brings users together to upload, explore, visualize and discuss data in a way never before possible.
- Media Compression
The combination of signal processing knowledge and efficient programming skills have resulted in the efficient development, implementation, and optimization of different audio and video compression algorithms in the Media and Services Technologies group.
- Space-optimized Texture Maps
Texture mapping is a common operation to increase the realism of three-dimensional meshes at low cost. We propose a new texture optimization algorithm based on the reduction of the physical space allotted to the texture image. Our algorithm optimizes the use of texture space by computing a warping function for the image and new texture coordinates.
- Subdivision Surfaces
The primary goal of this project is to explore the applicability of subdivision techniques to interactive surface editing for shape design. This project is part of the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) initiative, and it is a joint effort between IBM and Dassault Systemes.
- Video and Image Technologies
The main focus of the Multimedia Technologies Department is digital video and image technologies for the broadcast industry and the PC market with a particular emphasis on MPEG-2 based video compression, interactive digital television applications, and the digital set-top box.
- Web visualization
Our goal is the research and development of graphics and visualization techniques for trend analysis and information retrieval of various large-scale data.