The Project

This project was for ESM 4714: Scientific Visual Data Analysis and Multimedia taught by Dr. R Kriz and Mr. J. Lockhart Spring semester 2008. The goals of the project are outlines by my course contract:

Background:

I had decided to take this course because of the interesting course description. Because I am currently not working on any projects subsequently do not have any data to work with I have decided to do a literature review.

After exercise one I found it very interesting how the human eye processes the black and white gradients. In an extension of that, I want to explore how the human eye process color, and color gradients.

Objective:

In order to explore how the human eye process color I am going to do a literature review of at least 5 journal articles dealing with color and resolution. And from books by Fornter, Meyer, and Tufte. In order to gain first hand experience with manipulating color, and how people percieve color and shading I will apply different color gradients to an Ames trapezoid. I will use VRML and some PV Wave to apply different color gradients to the Ames trapezoid and to see if it can effect how people perceive it. The Ames trapezoid is a trapezoid that when rotated around the y-axis looks as though its swinging back and forth.

1) To learn and gain an understanding of VRML

2) To become more familiar with PV Wave

3) Complete a literature review of at least 5 articles and 3 books

4) Make an Ames trapezoid in VRML and apply different color gradients

5) Show the trapezoid to different people to see how they perceive it

1) I learned and gained a functional understanding of VRML, the evidence of this are the VRML files on the 'Ames Trapezoid' page. I found VRML to be relatively simple to use.

2) I became more familiar with PV Wave via the homework that was assigned through out the course. PV Wave is a software used to visualize data, and it very useful and relatively simple to use. I also experimented with on my own time to become more familiar.

3) The literature review is broken up into different parts. The first part is ‘What is Color’ where I explain light waves and how they produce color. Then ‘The Eye’ where I discuss how the eye processes color and I also discuss color blindness. The culmination is ‘Using Color’ where I explain how to use color properly. Also the section on the ‘Ames Trapezoid’ provides some insight into color and how it can be applied. I was only able to review two books, and 3 journal articles; however the information was supported by other sources that I was able to glean.

4) The Ames trapezoid and the applied colors can be seen on the 'Ames Trapezoid' page.

5) People's perception of the trapezoid is also explained on the 'Ames Trapezoid' page. In summary the trapezoid was perceived to be rotating, which is what is was doing.

In summary all of the goals that I had met for myself at the beginning of the semester were met. I’m proud of my work and I hope that those people who look at it enjoy it.

Borland D., Taylor, R. Rainbow Color Map (Still) Considered Harmful March/ April 2007 IEEE

Fortner, B., Meyer, T. Number by Colors 1997 Springer-Verlag New York

Globus, A., Raible, E. 13 Ways to Say Nothing with Scientific Visualization 25 Feb. 92 Report RNR-92-006

Slack, Charles W. Critique on the Interpretation if the Cultural Difference in the Perception of Motion in Ames’s Trapezoidal Window The American Journal of Psychology, Vol. 72 No. 1 (Mar., 1959),pp. 127-131.

Tufte, Edward R. Envisioning Information1990Graphics Press, Connecticut