Colin Ware

Bio: Colin Ware is an academic researcher from University of New Hampshire. The author has contributed to research in topics: Data visualization & Visualization. The author has an hindex of 52, co-authored 233 publications receiving 13523 citations. Previous affiliations of Colin Ware include Durham University & University of Toronto.

Information Visualization: Perception for Design

Abstract: Most designers know that yellow text presented against a blue background reads clearly and easily, but how many can explain why, and what really are the best ways to help others and ourselves clearly see key patterns in a bunch of data? When we use software, access a website, or view business or scientific graphics, our understanding is greatly enhanced or impeded by the way the information is presented. This book explores the art and science of why we see objects the way we do. Based on the science of perception and vision, the author presents the key principles at work for a wide range of applications--resulting in visualization of improved clarity, utility, and persuasiveness. The book offers practical guidelines that can be applied by anyone: interaction designers, graphic designers of all kinds (including web designers), data miners, and financial analysts. Complete update of the recognized source in industry, research, and academic for applicable guidance on information visualizing. Includes the latest research and state of the art information on multimedia presentation. More than 160 explicit design guidelines based on vision science. A new final chapter that explains the process of visual thinking and how visualizations help us to think about problems. Packed with over 400 informative full color illustrations, which are key to understanding of the subject. Table of Contents Chapter 1. Foundations for an Applied Science of Data Visualization Chapter 2. The Environment, Optics, Resolution, and the Display Chapter 3. Lightness, Brightness, Contrast and Constancy Chapter 4. Color Chapter 5. Visual Salience and Finding Information Chapter 6. Static and Moving Patterns Chapter 7. Space Perception Chapter 8. Visual Objects and Data Objects Chapter 9. Images, Narrative, and Gestures for Explanation Chapter 10. Interacting with Visualizations Chapter 11. Visual Thinking Processes

Visual Thinking for Design

Abstract: Increasingly, designers need to present information in ways that aid their audience's thinking process. Fortunately, results from the relatively new science of human visual perception provide valuable guidance. In Visual Thinking for Design, Colin Ware takes what we now know about perception, cognition, and attention and transforms it into concrete advice that designers can directly apply. He demonstrates how designs can be considered as tools for cognition - extensions of the viewer's brain in much the same way that a hammer is an extension of the user's hand. Experienced professional designers and students alike will learn how to maximize the power of the information tools they design for the people who use them. . Presents visual thinking as a complex process that can be supported in every stage using specific design techniques.. Provides practical, task-oriented information for designers and software developers charged with design responsibilities.. Includes hundreds of examples, many in the form of integrated text and full-color diagrams.. Steeped in the principles of "active vision," which views graphic designs as cognitive tools.

Exploration and virtual camera control in virtual three dimensional environments

Abstract: This paper evaluates three distinct metaphors for exploration and virtual camera control in virtual environments using a six degree of freedom input device. The metaphors are "eyeball in hand", "scene in hand", and "flying vehicle control". These metaphors have been implemented and evaluated using an IRIS workstation and a Polhemus 3Space. The system has the capability to record the motion path followed during an exploration session and this can be recorded and played back to create a movie. Evaluation is through intensive structured interview sessions wherein subjects are required to complete a number of tasks involving three different "toy" environments. None of the metaphors is judged the best in all situations, rather the different metaphors each have advantages and disadvantages depending on the particular task. For example, "scene in hand" is judged to be good for manipulating closed objects, but is not good for moving through an interior; whereas "flying vehicle control" is judged the best for navigating through the interior, but is poor for moving around a closed object.

Lag as a determinant of human performance in interactive systems

Abstract: The sources of lag (the delay between input action and output response) and its effects on human performance are discussed. We measured the effects in a study of target acquisition using the classic Fitts' law paradigm with the addition of four lag conditions. At the highest lag tested (225 ms), movement times and error rates increased by 64% and 214% respectively, compared to the zero lag condition. We propose a model according to which lag should have a multiplicative effect on Fitts' index of difficulty. The model accounts for 94% of the variance and is better than alternative models which propose only an additive effect for lag. The implications for the design of virtual reality systems are discussed.

Evaluating stereo and motion cues for visualizing information nets in three dimensions

Abstract: This article concerns the benefits of presenting abstract data in 3D. Two experiments show that motion cues combined with stereo viewing can substantially increase the size of the graph that can be preceived. The first experiment was designed to provide quantitiative measurements of how much more (or less) can be understood in 3D than in 2D. The 3D display used was configured so that the image on the monitor was coupled to the user's actual eye positons (and it was updated in real-time as the user moved) as well as bring in stereo. Thus the effect was like a local “virtual reality” display located in the vicinity of the computer monitor. The results from this study show that head-coupled stereo viewing can increase the size of an abstract graph that can be understood by a factor of three; using stereo alone provided an increase by a factor of 1.6 and head coupling along produced an increase by a factor of 2.2. The second experiment examined a variety of motion cues provided by head-coupled perspective (as in virtual reality displays), head-guided motion and automatic rotation, respectively, both with and without stereo in each case. The results show that structured 3D motion and stereo viewing both help in understanding, but that the kind of motion is not particularly important; all improve performance, and all are more significant than stereo cues. These results provide strong reasons for using advanced 3D graphics for interacting with a large variety of information structures.

Random graphs

Abstract: We will review some of the major results in random graphs and some of the more challenging open problems. We will cover algorithmic and structural questions. We will touch on newer models, including those related to the WWW.

A Taxonomy of Mixed Reality Visual Displays

Abstract: Paul Milgram received the BASc degree from the University of Toronto in 1970, the MSEE degree from the Technion (Israel) in 1973 and the PhD degree from the University of Toronto in 1980 From 1980 to 1982 he was a ZWO Visiting Scientist and a NATO Postdoctoral in the Netherlands, researching automobile driving behaviour From 1982 to 1984 he was a Senior Research Engineer in Human Engineering at the National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR) in Amsterdam, where his work involved the modelling of aircraft flight crew activity, advanced display concepts and control loops with human operators in space teleoperation Since 1986 he has worked at the Industrial Engineering Department of the University of Toronto, where he is currently an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Human Factors Engineering group He is also cross appointed to the Department of Psychology In 1993-94 he was an invited researcher at the ATR Communication Systems Research Laboratories, in Kyoto, Japan His research interests include display and control issues in telerobotics and virtual environments, stereoscopic video and computer graphics, cognitive engineering, and human factors issues in medicine He is also President of Translucent Technologies, a company which produces "Plato" liquid crystal visual occlusion spectacles (of which he is the inventor), for visual and psychomotor research

Evolution and the Theory of Games

Abstract: In the Hamadryas baboon, males are substantially larger than females. A troop of baboons is subdivided into a number of ‘one-male groups’, consisting of one adult male and one or more females with their young. The male prevents any of ‘his’ females from moving too far from him. Kummer (1971) performed the following experiment. Two males, A and B, previously unknown to each other, were placed in a large enclosure. Male A was free to move about the enclosure, but male B was shut in a small cage, from which he could observe A but not interfere. A female, unknown to both males, was then placed in the enclosure. Within 20 minutes male A had persuaded the female to accept his ownership. Male B was then released into the open enclosure. Instead of challenging male A , B avoided any contact, accepting A’s ownership.

The Perception of the Visual World. By James J. Gibson. U.S.A.: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1950 (George Allen & Unwin, Ltd., London). Price 35s.

Abstract: Let's read! We will often find out this sentence everywhere. When still being a kid, mom used to order us to always read, so did the teacher. Some books are fully read in a week and we need the obligation to support reading. What about now? Do you still love reading? Is reading only for you who have obligation? Absolutely not! We here offer you a new book enPDFd the perception of the visual world to read.

Applied Linear Regression Models

Abstract: (1991). Applied Linear Regression Models. Journal of Quality Technology: Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 76-77.