Courses

CSCI 5107: Computer Graphics I

This course intends to provide an solid introduction to the theory and practice of computer graphics programming. Topics covered will include:

  • scan conversion
  • hidden surface removal
  • antialiasing
  • geometric transformations and projections
  • hierarchical modeling and animation
  • parametric curves and surfaces
  • illumination and shading
  • texture mapping
  • and ray tracing

CSCI 5108: Computer Graphics II

This course represents the second semester continuation of the study of fundamental algorithms in computer graphics begun in CSci 5107. Topics covered will include:

  • 2D image transformations including image morphing and image-based rendering
  • procedural and image-based texture synthesis and advanced topics in texture mapping
  • geometric modeling including fractal terrain generation
  • mesh simplification, mesh smoothing and subdivision surfaces
  • radiosity
  • animation including motion capture, inverse kinematics, and keyframe interpolation via quaternions
  • virtual environments
  • non-photorealistic rendering

CSCI 5109: Visualization

This course covers the theory and practice of data visualization. Students learn techniques for creating effective visual representations of 2D and 3D scalar and vector data. Topics covered include:

  • techniques for visualizing univariate 2D scalar data
  • perceptual issues in visualization
  • isosurface extraction
  • direct volume rendering
  • techniques for visualizing 2D and 3D vector data
  • visualizing multivariate data
  • visualization in immersive virtual environments
  • and more

CSCI 5980: Special Topics: Image-based Modeling and Rendering

Text: George Wolberg Digital Image Warping
          Faugeras Three Dimensional Computer Vision

This course will teach how to represent and render complex scenes from digitized photographs or pre-rendered images. The goals of image based modeling and rendering are to advance the level of photorealism and performance of graphics rendering. Compared to traditional geometric rendering where the display performance and frame update rate is limited by the geometric complexity, number of polygons of the input, the performance of image based rendering is solely determined by the size and resolution of the output image and independent of the scene complexity. Several image-based approaches will be presented, with an emphasis on how to use these techniques to build practical systems. This hands-on emphasis will be reflected in the term project assignments, in which students will have the freedom to choose the topics and the opportunity to acquire their own images of indoor and outdoor scenes and develop the image-based rendering tools needed to navigate through the scenes interactively on the computer. This course will be appropriate for graduate students and advanced undergraduates.

CSCI 5980: Special Topics: Interactive Scientific Visualization

This course explores the solution of scientific problems using visualization, interactive techniques, and computer graphics through a combination of reviewing active research areas and hands-on visualization building experience. Working in small groups, students identify scientific problems, propose solutions, apply them to the problems, and evaluate their success. Examples include interactive software systems to display or interact with data in virtual reality, on tablet PC's, or on desktop PC's. Scientific applications range from studying the evolution of animal behaviors with evolutionary biologists, to how to design better medical devices with mechanical engineers and surgeons, to other areas proposed by students.

At the end of the course, students will have experience with:

  • carrying out a visualization research project from concept to artifact
  • communicating about science with collaborators and peers
  • open problems and promising research directions in interactive scientific visualization

CSCI 8980: Visualization- From Perception to Representation

Text: Colin Ware (2000) Information Visualization: Perception for Design, Morgan Kaufman.

Visual communication is a powerful medium for conveying information - yet our understanding of the scientific principles that underlie effective visual representation is still in its infancy. Creating a visualization that 'works' remains largely an art. Our aim in this class will be to investigate the science behind the art of successful visual representation, from perception through design to implementation. Maintaining a primary focus on practical applications in data visualization, we will combine insight from fundamental findings in human vision and perception together with inspiration and example from art and design, to gain a better understanding of why certain approaches might be more effective than others. From algorithms and approaches in computer vision and computer graphics we will gain an understanding of how to go about designing and implementing paradigms for visual representation that can facilitate a more accurate, efficient and intuitive understanding of the essential information content of a complex dataset.

The first half of this course will follow a lecture/discussion format, in which we focus on selected material from the textbook listed above, and wrap up with a midterm exam. The second half of this course will more closely follow a traditional seminar format, in which students will be responsible for defining and implementing a term project, selecting and presenting material from readings in the relevant current and historical literature, and leading class discussion on their chosen topic. Targeted topics may include: the perception, representation and effective use of color; context and organization in visual representation and perception; texture synthesis and the use of texture for conveying 3D shape and multivariate information; spatial awareness and the perception of depth and distance in real and virtual environments; and much more.

CSCI 8199: Topics in Visualization Research

Visual communication is a powerful medium for conveying information - yet our understanding of the scientific principles that underlie effective visual representation is still in its infancy. Creating a visualization that 'works' remains largely an art. My goal in this class is to investigate the science behind the art of successful visual representation­ to gain insight into why certain approaches are more effective than others, to begin to construct a firm theoretical basis for knowing how to go about designing paradigms for visual representation that can better facilitate an accurate, efficient and intuitive understanding of the essential content of a complex set of data. Through a combination of lectures, discussion, paper presentations and diverse readings from the current literature in psychology, computer graphics, visualization, art and illustration, I hope to provide insight into some interesting and exciting cross-disciplinary research directions in this area. Maintaining a primary focus on practical applications in computer graphics, including scientific and information visualization, photorealistic rendering, and virtual environments, we will survey a wide range of topic areas, in each case building from theory to practice. Selected topics will include things like:

  • the perception
  • representation and effective use of color
  • context and organization in visual representation and perception
  • the use of texture for conveying 3D shape and depth
  • haptic perception and its interactions with vision
  • the perception and representation of depth and distance in real and virtual environments
  • and much more

The intent throughout will be to see how insight from fundamental findings in vision and perception, together with inspiration and example from art and design, can be used to guide the development of algorithms for more efficiently and effectively communicating information through images.