Visual Analysis

Overview

Visual analysis is the science of analytical reasoning facilitated by interactive visual interfaces as defined by Thomas and Cook in 2006. It is based on interactive visualization, but it is much more. It is an integrated approach which combines visualization, (semi-)automatic data analysis techniques and human factors. The visual analysis meets one of the most important challenges of the modern information age: how to effectively utilize huge amount of data generated and acquired by modern computer systems, how to efficiently extract useful information out of it. The visual analysis is an enabling technology which can be utilized in almost all fields of research and in almost all business domains.

The VRVis was one of the first institutions which recognized the need of interactive visual analysis for engineering applications. Modern engineering is unimaginable without simulation. The data amount modern simulation technology produces is simple not comprehensible using conventional methods only. Engineers and scientists need new tools in order to cope with increasing complexity and amount of the data. Interactive visual analysis helps them to understand complex systems and complex physical processes. They can produce more efficient engines, more efficient medicine, or better understand natural processes.

We are having several projects ranging from the basic research on interactive visual analysis up to application research projects on interactive visual analysis for engineering applications at VRVis. We are also part of the VisMaster EU FP7 Coordination Action which traces a new path for the visual analysis research in Europe. Many application partners from various industries and many researchers in various fields of visual computing make VRVis a perfect institution for research on visual analysis. We will keep our focus on engineering applications and we will expand to additional application areas in the future.