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Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    GraSSML: Smart Schematic Diagrams, XML and Accessibility
    (The Eurographics Association, 2006) Fredj, Z. Ben; Duce, D. A.; Louise M. Lever and Mary McDerby
    This paper describes work in progress at Oxford Brookes University. The project called Graphical Structure Semantic Markup Languages (GraSSML) aims at defining higher-level diagram description languages for the World Wide Web, which capture the structure and the semantics of a diagram and enable the generation of accessible and "smart" presentations in different modalities such as speech, text, and graphics. GraSSML is broken down into three levels: semantics, structure and presentation. Each of these levels captures a specific aspect of a diagram. The semantic level language is highly dependent on the type of diagram considered and the knowledge of the domain (ontology) in which it is used. Using the proposed approach, the structure and the semantics of the diagram is made available at the creation stage. The availability of this information offers new possibilities allowing Web Graphics to become "smart". The paper outlines the relevant limitations of SVG and some approaches aiming to resolve the problem of graphic accessibility. It then describes our approach in addressing some of these limitations and presents the new possibilities that these smart graphics lead to.
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    Distributed and Collaborative Visualization
    (The Eurographics Association and Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2004) Brodlie, K. W.; Duce, D. A.; Gallop, J. R.; Walton, J. P. R. B.; Wood, J. D.
    Visualization is a powerful tool for analyzing data and presenting results in science, engineering and medicine. This paper reviews ways in which it can be used in distributed and/or collaborative environments. Distributed visualization addresses a number of resource allocation problems, including the location of processing close to data for the minimization of data traffic. The advent of the Grid Computing paradigm and the link to Web Services provides fresh challenges and opportunities for distributed visualization-including the close coupling of simulations and visualizations in a steering environment. Recent developments in collaboration have seen the growth of specialized facilities (such as Access Grid) which have supplemented traditional desktop video conferencing using the Internet and multicast communications. Collaboration allows multiple users-possibly at remote sites-to take part in the visualization process at levels which range from the viewing of images to the shared control of the visualization methods. In this review, we present a model framework for distributed and collaborative visualization and assess a selection of visualization systems and frameworks for their use in a distributed or collaborative environment. We also discuss some examples of enabling technology and review recent work from research projects in this field.
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    skML a Markup Language for Distributed Collaborative Visualization
    (The Eurographics Association, 2005) Duce, D. A.; Sagar, M.; Louise M. Lever and Mary McDerby
    This paper describes a reference model and a markup language for representing processing and dataflow in distributed collaborative visualization applications. The language, skML, enables processing to be represented at each of the three layers: conceptual, logical and physical defined in the reference model. skML is an XML application. A particular feature of the approach is the use of RDF to associate annotations with skML elements, for example to describe resource constraints. An interactive editor for skML and prototype tools to use skML with IRIS Explorer and OpenDX are described. Extension to other visualization systems such as AVS and VTK is discussed. The paper concludes by comparing skML to other languages and environments for scientific workflow.
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    Haptic Device Control - Will it Fit Standardized Input Models?
    (Blackwell Publishers Ltd and the Eurographics Association, 2001) Arnold, D. B.; Day, A. M.; Jennings, V.; Courtenay, A.; Duce, D. A.
    Over recent years a wide variety of interaction devices involving haptic feedback have been brought to the market, but they vary widely in terms of input measures recorded. These range from one dimensional input on a haptic feedback steering wheel to a six degree of freedom position and orientation device and further, to assemblies of such devices. On the surface most of the variations can be accommodated logically with standardized input models combining existing logical input devices and haptic feedback processes as acknowledgement/echos. However it is very uncertain whether such a model can adequately model the system requirements for effective haptic feedback.In this paper we review the input models that have developed over the past 20 years and ask "Is it the end of the road for the conceptual model of input incorporated into the early graphics standards and elaborated over the years?" In addition, to highlight the problems of implementation with haptic interaction, we describe a typical application, the simulation of a collision with a virtual wall.