Educational Visualization

3D Simulation as Visual Language: Explaining Complex Ideas Simply

The advances of recent years in three-dimensional rendering and animation technology has been both entertaining and staggering. Not only can we give life to the fantasies in our minds, but we can duplicate images found in the real world with haunting detail. The most obvious examples of this are the real-time rending of recent computer game releases such as Doom3 and Halo 2. In film, such detail is found in works such as Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Don't misunderstand -- there is still a long way to go. Much like David Hanson's research in robotics with truly human-like features, the closer that we get to realism in 3D animation, the closer the viewer scrutinizes the animation for flaws that give it away as being "unrealistic". Aside from the entertaining and visual art aspects of three dimensional animation, there is also a decided focus on using this technology for purposes of scientific simulation. When combining 3D animation with other fields such as physics, biology, or chemistry, we have an opportunity to render hypothetical constructs for experimentation and observe phenomena that would normally be impossible (or at least impractical) to scrutinize in detail. The beauty of marrying three-dimensional animation to the theoretical or practical sciences is that is provides an efficient moving image that attempts to accurately illustrate abstract, complex scientific principles in a concise manner. By doing so, a scientist, or teacher for that matter, can effectively communicate his or her ideas to others by literally helping them to visualize the concept. Below are a few examples:

Supernovae Simulation

An interesting example of this simulation in practice is the study of Supernovae. The TeraScale Supernova Initiative is (or was) a project within the Department of Energy. The hope was that by advancing the study of supernovae through 3D simulation, a better understanding of areas such as fluid dynamics, radiation transport, and nuclear structure would result. In addition to increasing our understanding of the Universe in general, there is the possibility that any new knowledge may have application in areas such as the manufacture of safe, renewable energy or to detect and defend against the use of high energy weaponry by terrorists or unfriendly governments.

http://www.phy.ornl.gov/tsi/ornl_sims/

Figure 1 - Instability of Standing Accretion Shock (click image to view movie)

Understand that this visualization is not meant to provide a self-contained representation of the complex ideas behind it; rather, it is meant to increase the efficiency of communicating those ideas.

Protein Folding

Another example of this type of visualization can be found in the development of simulations by the Folding@Home program at Stanford University. In addition to visually communicating the results of experimentation, these simulations are actually processed and performed using the "spare computing cycles" of volunteered personal computers that have a broadband Internet connection.

http://folding.stanford.edu/villin/S640x480.105.56.95.mpg

Figure 2 - Results from Folding@Home of villin (click image to view movie)

Note that this particular technology involves genuine communication, because not only does it render the simulations in real-time for the end user to view, but it also transmits that new data base to it's originating source. In essence, the end user and the scientist are both simultenously imparting and receiving data.

Seismic Wave Propagation

Simulations in seismic wave propagation allow for the recording or replay of real-time earthquake events. In this example, simulation tools allow these events to be observed and analyzed in a broader capacity. The computer(s) process remote sensing data and visualize these various streams simultaneously. This allows scientists to observe the entire spectrum of events in a layered, correlated fashion.

http://www.eri.u-tokyo.ac.jp/KOHO/Yoran2003/sec4-9-eng.htm

Figure 3 - (click image to visit site)

Nanorobotics

This example provides yet another, but more familiar aspect to simulation -- interaction. The purpose of the nanorobotic visualization is to experiment with a control mechanism for nanobot instruction and behavior. In addition, this animation provides a safe method for initial experimentation by simulating portions of a human organism.

http://www.nanorobotdesign.com/

Figure 4 - (click image to visit site)

Source: Christopher Eric Baze HUAS 6375 Imagery and Iconography, 3D Simulation as Visual Language: Explaining Complex Ideas Simply, Fall 2004,Graduate Program in Arts and Technology, The University of Dallas, Dallas TX, USA, February 2005.