A data model and architecture for hypermedia database visualization

ABSTRACT

In this paper, a proposal is made for a data model and architecture which facilitates the use of a 3D graphical user interface to navigate and query hypermedia and database systems. Currently there exist no integrated virtual environments that combine the visual strength of 3D, with the powerful query features of databases and the navigation flexibility of hypermedia systems.A model and architecture in which hyperlinks are treated as data relationships (which can be normalized) embedded with data manipulation and programmable 3D interfaces is presented. The model is based on a combination of object oriented databases and VRML as the 3D interface.

REFERENCES

• 1: Ark, W.S., Dryer, D.C, Selker,T, Zhai, S, Representation matters: The effect of 3D objects and a spatial metaphor in a graphical user interface, IBM Research Report RJ10090 IBM Almaden Research Center 1998.
• 2: Wendy Ark D. Christopher Dryer Ted Selker Shumin Zhai Landmarks to Aid Navigation in a Graphical User Interface, Proc. of Workshop on Personalized and Social Navigation in Information Space, IBM Almaden Research Center, 1999.
• 3: Jon Barrilleaux, 3D user interfaces with Java 3D, Manning Publications Co., Greenwich, CT, 2000
• 4: Michael Benedikt, Cyberspace: first steps, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1991
• 5: S. Benford et al, Experience of using 3D graphics in database visualization, Computing Department, Lancaster University, Technical Report CSCW/3/1994, October 1994.ftp://ftp.comp.lancs.ac.uk/pub/vds/
• 6: S. Benford and J. Mariani, Populated Information Terrains: Virtual Environments for Sharing Data, Research report CSCW/4/1994, Centre for Research in CSCW, Lancaster University, 1994. ftp://ftp.comp.lancs.ac.uk/pub/reports/1994/CSCW.4.94.ps.Z
• 7: Steve Benford, Dave Snowdon, Chris Greenhalgh, Rob Ingram, Ian Knox and Chris Brown, VR-VIBE: A Virtual Environment for Co-operative Information Retrieval, Eurographics'95, 30th August - 1st September, Maastricht, The Netherlands, pp 349-360.
• 8: J. Boyle, S. Leishman, J. Fothergill and P. Gray, Development of a Visual Query Language, Aberdeen University, Research Report, 1993. http://www.biochem.abdn.ac.uk/john/vlq/vlq.html
• 9: Stuart K. Card , Austin Henderson, Jr., A multiple, virtual-workspace interface to support user task switching, Proceedings of the SIGCHI/GI conference on Human factors in computing systems and graphics interface, p.53-59, April 05-09, 1987, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 10: S.K. Card, G.G. Robertson and J.D. Mackinlay, The Information Visualizer: An Information Workspace, Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, Research Report, Palo Alto, California 94304, 1991.
• 11: Simon St. Laurent , Ethan Cerami, Building Xml Applications, McGraw-Hill Professional, 1999
• 12: Matthew Chalmers , Paul Chitson, Bead: explorations in information visualization, Proceedings of the 15th annual international ACM SIGIR conference on Research and development in information retrieval, p.330-337, June 21-24, 1992, Copenhagen, Denmark [doi>10.1145/133160.133215]
• 13: M. Chalmers, Design perspectives in visualising complex information, Proceedings of the third IFIP WG2.6 working conference on Visual database systems 3 (VDB-3), p.103-111, June 1997
• 14: Mark A. Clarkson, An easier interface, BYTE, v.16 n.2, p.277-ff., Feb. 1991
• 15: A. Colebourne et Al, Populated Information Terrains: supporting the cooperative browsing of on-line information, Research Report CSCW/13/1994, Centre for Research in CSCW, Lancaster University, 1994. ftp://ftp.comp.lancs.ac.uk/pub/reports/1994/CSCW.13.94.ps. Z
• 16: Distributed virtual worlds: foundations and implementation techniques using VRML, Java, and CORBA, Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., Secaucus, NJ, 2001
• 17: Andeas Dieberger, Andrew U. Frank, A City metaphor for supporting navigation in complex information spaces, Journal of Visual Languages and Computing, 1998 (9), pp. 597-622.
• 18: K.M. Fairchild, Information Management Using Virtual Reality-Based Visualizations, in "Virtual Reality: Applications and Explorations", Alan Wexelblat (ed.), Academic Press Professional, Cambridge, MA, ISBN 0-12- 745045-9, pp. 45-74, 1993. http://panda.iss.nus.sg:8000/kids/fair/webdocs/viz/viz-1.html
• 19: G. W. Furnas, Generalized fisheye views, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, p.16-23, April 13-17, 1986, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
• 20: Danny Goodman, Dynamic HTML: the definitive reference, O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., Sebastopol, CA, 1998
• 21: G. Walker, Challenges in Information Visualization, British Telecommunications Engineering Journal, Vol. 14, pp. 17-25, April 1995. http://www.labs.bt.com/innovate/informat/infovis/index.htm

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.2 User Interfaces (D.2.2, H.1.2, I.3.6)

Additional Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.3 COMPUTER GRAPHICS
      I.3.7 Three-Dimensional Graphics and Realism

Keywords:
3D user interfaces, VRML, databases, hypermedia, information visualization, queries