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Towards Utilizing GPUs in Information Visualization: A Model and Implementation of Image-Space Operations
November/December 2009 (vol. 15 no. 6)
pp. 1105-1112
ASCII Text
x 
 
Bryan McDonnel, Niklas Elmqvist, "Towards Utilizing GPUs in Information Visualization: A Model and Implementation of Image-Space Operations," IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, vol. 15, no. 6, pp. 1105-1112, November/December, 2009.
 
 
BibTex
x
 
@article{ 10.1109/TVCG.2009.191,
author = {Bryan McDonnel and Niklas Elmqvist},
title = {Towards Utilizing GPUs in Information Visualization: A Model and Implementation of Image-Space Operations},
journal ={IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics},
volume = {15},
number = {6},
issn = {1077-2626},
year = {2009},
pages = {1105-1112},
doi = {http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TVCG.2009.191},
publisher = {IEEE Computer Society},
address = {Los Alamitos, CA, USA},
}
 
 
RefWorks Procite/RefMan/Endnote
x 
 
TY - JOUR
JO - IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics
TI - Towards Utilizing GPUs in Information Visualization: A Model and Implementation of Image-Space Operations
IS - 6
SN - 1077-2626
SP1105
EP1112
EPD - 1105-1112
A1 - Bryan McDonnel,
A1 - Niklas Elmqvist,
PY - 2009
KW - GPU-acceleration
KW - shader programming
KW - interaction
KW - high-performance visualization
VL - 15
JA - IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics
ER -
 
Bryan McDonnel, Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN
Niklas Elmqvist, Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN
Modern programmable GPUs represent a vast potential in terms of performance and visual flexibility for information visualization research, but surprisingly few applications even begin to utilize this potential. In this paper, we conjecture that this may be due to the mismatch between the high-level abstract data types commonly visualized in our field, and the low-level floating-point model supported by current GPU shader languages. To help remedy this situation, we present a refinement of the traditional information visualization pipeline that is amenable to implementation using GPU shaders. The refinement consists of a final image-space step in the pipeline where the multivariate data of the visualization is sampled in the resolution of the current view. To concretize the theoretical aspects of this work, we also present a visual programming environment for constructing visualization shaders using a simple drag-and-drop interface. Finally, we give some examples of the use of shaders for well-known visualization techniques.

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Index Terms:
GPU-acceleration, shader programming, interaction, high-performance visualization
Citation:
Bryan McDonnel, Niklas Elmqvist, "Towards Utilizing GPUs in Information Visualization: A Model and Implementation of Image-Space Operations," IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, vol. 15, no. 6, pp. 1105-1112, Nov.-Dec. 2009, doi:10.1109/TVCG.2009.191
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