wm@ogccse.ogc.edu (Wm Leler) (11/10/89)
PARAGRAPH COLLOQUIUM SERIES ON PARALLELISM AND COMPUTER GRAPHICS
Historical and Current Developments
in Scientific Visualization
Richard Weinberg, Ph.D.
Department of Computer Science and School of Cinema-Television
University of Southern California
Scientific Visualization has developed rapidly into an important
discipline impacting many branches of science and engineering. From
the earliest computers until the present day, scientists have
recognized the importance of visualization. Although the tools have
developed most rapidly in the very recent past, it is instructive to
view Scientific Visualization in a historical context. This
presentation begins with a videotape overview of early examples in the
development of the field.
At the USC Computer Animation Laboratory, a number of projects are
under way relating to scientific visualization. The project, "New
Windows on the Human Brain" seeks to develop new techniques for
visualizing the brain for stereotactic neurosurgery. This
interdisciplinary project involves the USC Schools of Medicine,
Engineering and Cinema-Television. A videotape will be shown which
illustrates the importance of volume visualization to brain surgery.
Systems in use for the project include the Ardent Graphics
Supercomputer, a parallel processing, vector system.
The USC Computer Animation Laboratory has produced computer animation
for three current IMAX/OMNIMAX films, "Seasons", "To the Limit" and
"Race the Wind". In each of these films, the primary science content
of the film is conveyed through the use of computer animation.
Worldwide, there are now some 50 IMAX/OMNIMAX theaters, primarily
associated with science and technology museums. These theaters show
films in 70mm, 15 perf IMAX/OMNIMAX format, which is the largest motion
picture format in use today. The film size is 10 times larger than
normal 35mm motion picture film. The production of this type of
animation will be described.
SPEAKER: Richard Weinberg, Ph.D., is the Director of the Computer
Animation Laboratory at the University of Southern California in Los
Angeles, California, where he holds a joint appointment in Computer
Science and Cinema-Television. He has developed computer graphics for
Cray Research, NASA, Digital Productions, and Ardent Computer. He was
the co-chair of the SIGGRAPH '84 conference and a member of the NSF
panel on Scientific Visualization. His research interests includes
computer animation, and systems for scientific visualization.
Monday - November 13, 1989 3:30 p.m.
Room 123 (OCATE CASE Room)
19500 NW Gibbs Drive
behind the OGC CS building in the OGC Science Park