Web-based Interaction with 3D Environmental Data Sets using Virtual Reality Modeling Language

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Web-based Interaction with 3D Environmental Data
Sets using Virtual Reality Modeling Language
AMS/IIPS, January 11-15, 1999, Dallas, TX

• Nancy Soreide, NOAA/PMEL
• Christopher Moore, NOAA/JISAO
• Cathy Lascara, Old Dominion University
• Glen Wheless, Old Dominion University

Sponsored by NOAAs HPCC program
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Background

• Computational power is increasing
• Observational systems sample the environment more
  densely
• Environmental data and model outputs have become
  increasingly large
• Newly emerging Virtual Reality technologies allow
  us to view, analyze and interact with data in new
  ways

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Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML)

• VRML is a file format which allows users to
  access, navigate, explore and interact with
  environmental data in 3D on the Web
• VRML is scalable across platforms ranging from
  PCs to high-end workstations
• Viewers or plug-ins are freely available for
  popular Web browsers, such as Netscape

FOR MORE INFO...
http//www.pmel.noaa.gov/vrml
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VRML Objects and Worlds

• VRML objects mimic the real environment
• Examples Contour slices, color-coded poly-filled
  contours, surfaces, vectors, bathymetry,
  topography
• VRML Objects can be touched, rotated, animated
• Users interact with the objects
• A VRML World consists of VRML objects
• Created by
• Inserting the VRML graphical objects into a
  Virtual World
• Specifying user interactions with the Virtual
  World

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Project Objective

• Create Web-based interface that supports
  interactive visualization of oceanographic data
• Construct Virtual Worlds with oceanographic data
• Initial focus on data from NOAAs El Niño/La Niña
  monitoring buoys in the Tropical Pacific
• Other datasets included as time and resources
  allow

FOR MORE INFO...
http//www.pmel.noaa.gov/visualization
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3D El Niño/La Niña VRML World

• 3D visualization of near-realtime data from El
  Niño/La Niña monitoring buoys in the tropical
  Pacific Ocean

• Surface winds, Sea Surface Temperature,
  temperatures beneath the sea surface, dynamic
  topography, depth of the 20 C isotherm
• Surfaces or objects can be selected for display
• Visualization can be zoomed, rotated, animated

FOR MORE INFO...
http//www.pmel.noaa.gov/vrml
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3D Fisheries-Oceanography Model Outputs

• 3D Virtual Ocean from a biological-physical
  oceanography regional model of the Southeast
  Bering Sea
• From a viewpoint in the Bering Sea, looking
  towards the East

• Model bathymetry with sea surface height and
  temperature for May 15, 1997
• Top surface is the sea surface height (without
  tides) colored by temperature at 10m depth - blue
  is cold, red is hot
• Surface representing sea floor is colored by
  depth - red is shallow, blue is deeper
• Spiky protrusions out of the sea surface are the
  Aleutian Island chain to the South (right), the
  Pribolof Islands to the North (left).

FOR MORE INFO...
http//www.pmel.noaa.gov/vrml http//www.pmel.noaa
.gov/vrml/sebscc/start_sebscc.html
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How VRML benefits the user

• Scientists and researchers
• VRML lets the scientist touch the data, move into
  it, and see it from different viewpoints
• Scientists affirm that use of VRML discloses
  features of their data and model outputs which
  were undiscovered with standard visualization
  techniques.
• With VRML, a scientist can share these insights
  with colleagues
• Widens audience for scientific data and
  information
• Government administrators and decision makers
• Educators and students
• General public

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What you will find at our Web site

• VRML objects and one or more Virtual Worlds
  created from TAO El Niño/La Niña data
• VRML objects and/or Virtual Worlds from other
  NOAA/PMEL datasets

• Web pages providing the methodology and
  technology used in creating VRML objects (e.g.,
  toolkits available on-line)
• White Paper documenting Lessons Learned in the
  creation of Virtual Worlds
• Links to professional society meeting
  presentations of results

http//www.pmel.noaa.gov/vrml
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Conclusions Future Directions

• Virtual Reality helps the scientist and the lay
  person understand complex datasets and
  relationships
• Web based Virtual Reality is widely accessible

• Web based Virtual Reality can be shared
• Including interactions between multiple users
  across networks
• People sharing virtual worlds can see, talk, and
  interact with one another
• e.g., multi-user VRML interaction
• Faster network speeds will be achieved with Next
  Generation Internet (NGI), etc.

http//www.pmel.noaa.gov/vrml
Supported by NOAA/HPCC