A Visualization Framework for Large-Scale Virtual Astronomy

Speaker:          Dr. Philip Fu   
                  USA   

Title:            A Visualization Framework for Large-Scale Virtual Astronomy

Date:             Wednesday, 14 April 2004 

Time:             2:30pm - 3:30pm 

Venure:           Room 2404   
                  (Phase I, via lift nos. 17/18)   


ABSTRACT: 

Recent advances in modern astronomy provide us with a huge amount of
data and information about the Universe.  Positional data is no longer
limited to our own Solar system, and we now have accurate position
data for stars, the interstellar medium, and even galaxies.  However,
due to the fact that the Universe is so gigantic in size and is
dominated by empty space, modeling and rendering this huge environment is
a very different task compared with any ordinary three-dimensional
virtual environment.  This talk introduces a comprehensive approach to
creating a visualization framework for this problem.  Power Homogeneous
Coordinates (PHC) and various PHC-based techniques are devised to extend
and optimize the conventional graphics framework for this large-scale
environment.  In addition, an assortment of methods for modeling,
rendering, and visualizing a variety of astronomical bodies and
cosmological time were introduced.  The final results of this research
work include a collection of visualizers for astronomers, educational
animations appropriate for planetarium audiences, and state-of-the-art
rendering techniques being integrated into a digital planetarium system.

BIOGRAPHY: 

Chi-Wing Fu received his B.Sc. and M.Phil. degrees in computer science
and engineering from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1997 and
1999, respectively, and the PhD degree in computer science from
Indiana University in Bloomington in December, 2003.  His research
interests include scientific visualization (astronomical, medical,
bio-chemical, and high-dimensional visualization), image-based modeling,
rendering, and lighting, and real-time computer graphics
techniques.