Colloquium Details
Situated Visualization
Speaker: Sean White, Columbia University
Location: Warren Weaver Hall 1302
Date: November 6, 2009, 11:30 a.m.
Host: Chris Bregler
Synopsis:
As computation, sensing, and display become more mobile and distributed, the locus of interaction shifts to the environment and objects we encounter in the environment. This shift changes how we view the world and our expectations about interacting with our surroundings, creating the opportunity for situated visualizations--- visual representations of data presented in their spatial and semantic context. Examples I have explored include visualizing information about a plant species near a physical specimen based on computer vision analysis of leaf shape and mapping relevant urban GIS data, such as carbon monoxide sensor levels, directly onto the user's view of the city. In this talk, I will provide a framework for characterizing situated visualizations and present research results from prototype systems in the design space. These prototypes, grounded in real applications through collaboration with botanists at the Smithsonian Institution and urban designers in Columbia's architecture school, provide a testbed for evaluating and understanding novel interactions, algorithms, and architecture and point to potential benefits of situated visualization.
Speaker Bio:
Sean White is a visiting scientist at the Smithsonian Institution, postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University, and 2009 Tech Award Laureate. His research focuses on Mixed and Augmented Reality, Visualization, and Human Computer Interaction. Sean has previously served as the VP of Technology at Lycos, Inc., where his systems have been used by millions of users, CTO of WhoWhere?, Inc., and member of the research staff at Interval Research Corporation. Sean is on the advisory board for New York Sun Works and has served on advisory boards for Environmental Defense Fund, Herman Miller Red, and Evite. He received his BS and MS in Computer Science from Stanford University and his MS in Mechanical Engineering and PhD in Computer Science from Columbia University.
Notes:
In-person attendance only available to those with active NYU ID cards.