See what I mean? Using Graphics Toolkits to Visualise Numerical Data

Summary The use of graphics toolkits to visualise and understand numerical data is explored with reference to (a) a common data format for 3D geometry and (b) the improvement of visualisation algorithms through the incorporation of numerical library software. Using a common 3D format allows scenes and objects to be shared between applications and—if desired—published on the World-Wide Web (WWW) for viewing by co-workers elsewhere. Two examples of this are given. In one, we outline how the adoption of a standard toolkit to provide the visualisation component of a computer algebra package has cut down on development time and has provided it with the ability to share 3D data with other applications. In the other, we show how a graphics toolkit can be used within a visualisation web server, where its output can be transmitted across the WWW by means of the 3D format. The use of library software can save the application developer time and effort in implementing fundamental algorithms, and allows them to concentrate on other aspects of the visualisation process. We describe some preliminary work on visualisation benchmarking, and show how some library routines are superior to simpler, but less sophisticated algorithms in the context of particle tracing.