WestGRID CV Focus Areas and Projects
Collaboration Focus: Large-scale, distributed, multimedia collaboration
This focus area complements the research in the Visualization Focus Area through the creation of a
collaborative hardware and software infrastructure to support large-scale, distributed, multimedia
collaborations. The infrastructure will support widely diverse systems with highly variable display,
interaction, and networking capabilities. Such an infrastructure will provide a mechanism for
scientists to effectively collaborate with remote colleagues, without requiring an in-depth
understanding of the technologies involved.
The infrastructure will support a wide variety of display technologies (PDA, laptop, desktop,
GridStation, GridRoom, and VisRoom), interaction technologies (PDAs, tablet PCs, touch sensitive
screens, 3D interaction technologies, haptics, and sound), and networking technologies (cellular
wireless, 802.11 wireless, LAN, WAN, and advanced optical networks). Central to this research
focus will be the integration of many of the projects in the Visualization Focus Area into the
collaboration environments that are developed for WestGRID.
This integration of the visualization infrastructure with the collaboration infrastructure will provide
WestGRID researchers with the ability to explore their data with distant colleagues in ways that
were previously extremely difficult or impossible. Through a collaboration between the UofA and
BigBangWidth (Funded by WED) we will also explore how the newly developed BigBangWidth
high-speed switch (capable of delivering an amazing transmission speed of 15Gb/s without any
switching delay) can solve many of the problems relating to networking problems associated with
these applications.
Projects
 NewMIC/NRC Advanced Collaborative Environments (ACE) Project
o Summary: The ACE program is exploring how people interact with each other,
using technology, over potentially large distances. Our focus is on how advanced
collaboration technologies will allow users to collaborate with each other easily,
efficiently, and effectively. The goal of the program is to maximize the Quality of
Experience (QoE) of the end user over a wide range of technology platforms.
Critical to this work is the fact that QoE is a human centered measure not a
technology-centered measure. Thus we want to maximize a human perception based
on a rich and diverse set of factors. These factors include, but are not limited to:
 Networking (broadband, wired, wireless, and cellular wireless)
 Interaction (3D tracking, touch sensitive devices, voice recognition, mouse,
keyboard)
 Display (Immersive displays, wall, table top, desktop, laptop, tablet, PDA,
cell phone)
Fundamental to this project is the creation of an architecture to support advanced
collaborative environments. The architecture is an open one, allowing for the
extensible creation of collaboration services and the ability to deploy those services
on a wide range of technology platforms. This architecture provides the capability to
manage the complexity of the problem domain but does not require tools to be
written for the architecture explicitly. That is, the architecture plays a managing and
integrating role for the technologies involved but does not dictate the use of specific
technologies.
o People
 NewMIC: B. Corrie (Project Leader), H. Wong, T. Zimmerman, R.
Scharein, M. Ihara
 UBC: K. Booth
 SFU: J. Borwein, L. Bartram, R. Ballantyne
 UoA: P. Boulanger
 UofC: L Katz, R. Levy, D. Mitchell
o Timeline/Milestones
 December 2002 (NewMIC)
 Initial prototype of WestGRID QoE CoLab
 NewMIC GridRoom/GridStation(s) operational
 December 2002 (UCalgary)
 UofC GridRoom operational
 March 2003 (NewMIC)
 NewMIC GridRoom/GridStation(s) integrated into WestGRID QoE
CoLab
 May 2003 (UCalgary)
 GridStations defined and under construction
 June 2003 (NewMIC)
 Tiled display wall integrated into WestGRID QoE CoLab
 Passive stereo display wall integrated into WestGRID QoE CoLab
 August 2003 (NewMIC)
 Solutions server integrated into WestGRID QoE CoLab
 SFU, UoA, UoC GridRoom/GridStation integrated into WestGRID
QoE CoLab
 WestGRID QoE CoLab deployed for WestGRID users for testing
 September 2003 (UCalgary)
 Rollout of GridStations at EVDS and Kinesiology VR Lab
 December 2003 (NewMIC)
 Commodity visualization server integrated into WestGRID QoE
CoLab
 December 2004 (NewMIC)
 Advanced collaboration and visualization services and capabilities
integrated into WestGRID QoE CoLab
 December 2004 (UCalgary)
 Advanced collaboration and visualization services and capabilities
integrated into WestGRID QoE CoLab
o Budget Items
 NewMIC
 Networking
 IML Room Improvements (GridRoom)
 Video Conferencing (GridStation)
 Video Conferencing (GridRoom)
 Tiled Display Wall (Phase 1)
 Passive Stereo Display (GridStation)
 Expansion Access Grid Node (GridRoom)
 Personal Access Grid Nodes (GridStation)
 AV Equipment (GridRoom)
 Miscellaneous
 UCalgary
 Networking to Kinesiology VR Lab and EVDS Design Studio
planned and implemented.
 IRStudio Improvements (GridRoom)
 Development of Personal Access Grid Nodes (GridStation)
o Collaborators
 NRC Institute of Information Technology, Ottawa
 NTT Japan
 Mt. Allison University (Andrew Paskauskas)
 Sheridan College (Walt Winchell)

SFU CoLab
o Summary: The CoLab technology matrix is anchored by five Smart Technology
interactive touch-screens: 2 wall-mounted plasma screens, 1 high-resolution
projected display, 1 table-inset touch-screen plasma display and a portable touchscreen display (currently outside in the CECM), meant to be used in remote
situations and connected back to the CoLab. Additional computing devices include
a wide variety of heterogeneous handheld, wireless and standard computing devices.
User input methods include direct touch, indirect (mouse), keyboard, handwriting
recognition, OCR and paper-capture. Input and data needs to be easily and flexibly
migrated across devices and displays without excessive latency. The anticipated
outcomes include: the identification of techniques to capture, integrate and
distribute visualization and input modalities across various devices; identification of
capture, archiving, transcoding and reformatting issues when using heterogeneous
devices in arbitrary collections of display and interaction components; and the
development of expertise so that these technologies can be used at other WestGrid
sites.
o People
 SFU: J. Borwein (Project Leader), L. Bartram, R. Ballantyne
 UBC: K. Booth
 NewMIC: B. Corrie, H. Wong, T. Zimmerman, R. Scharein
 UofC: L. Katz, R. Levy, D Mitchell
o Timeline/Milestones
 June 2003 (SFU)
 Four months after receiving funding the main collaboration grid in
SFU will be operational and ready for use for AG-based collaboration
between the SFU and NewMIC (including documentation for
deployment of similar installations at other WestGRID sites). The
main collaboration will include the base level AccessGrid and H323
technology between all sites.

???? (SFU)
 In parallel, the CoLab technology matrix will be integrated for input
and output distribution and capture, tying in the large interactive
touch screens, the whiteboards and smaller personal devices. An
event framework, the EventHeap from Stanford, and accompanying
multi-device display configuration (PointRight) will be installed and
evaluated as a unifying event architecture. How these frameworks fit
with the QoE will be studied and reported.

December 2004 (SFU)
 In the second year of the project, based on the success of the above
two tasks, this research will be extended to include real-time input
sharing with remote displays and interactions (using the portable
touch-screen/laptop system) and remote display sharing, so that
inputs from multiple users can control a single virtual shared display.
This will include developing the tiled displays further (passive stereo
tiled displays and/or very high-resolution tiled displays) or deploying
the current level of tiled displays at other WestGRID locations. This
phase will be developed in year two of the WestGRID project.
o Budget Items
o Collaborators
 UofC; IRStudio, Kinesiology VR Lab, EVDS Design Studio

BanffCentre - VIC Project
o Summary: Banff will integrate our Collaboration Laboratory and our Visualization
Laboratory. Add passive display system that will allow participants in a meeting to
visualize simulations in stereo. This will provide WestGrid with an additional test
site for 3D collaboration that allows science and mathematics researchers to share
and manipulate objects over networks.
Researchers Sheelagh Carpendale and Saul Greenberg will develop presentation and
collaboration tools. Data e updated and changed based on researcher needs.
Scientists from WestGrid will come to Banff New Media Institute to test the
tabletop and software through ‘03-04
 The researchers will combine the physical infrastructure of the tabletop as
group collaboration system with visualization capacities. Gesture based
o
o
o
o

communication will be a component of the research. (Carpendale and
Greenberg)
 Collaboration software tools will support: distanced based collaboration
sharing data (Carpendale); Single display groupware (Carpendale and
Greenberg); Distributed Collaboration (Carpendale and Greenberg)
People:
 UoC: Sheelagh Carpendale, Saul Greenberg
 Banff: Sara Diamond, Susan Kennard
Timeline/Milestones:
 May, 2003: Summit on collaboration methodologies
 May, 2003: Establish Banff Centre collaboration laboratory
 September 2004: Toolkit will enable WestGrid researchers to test and share
data.
 September 2004: Research summit-on visualization and collaboration--that
includes a public presentation and press coverage of research results from
collaboration and visualization toolkit and activities.
Budget Items:
 Networking
 Collaboration Laboratory Creation (GridRoom)
 Video Conferencing with High Quality Audio (GridRoom)
 Researcher Cluster Laboratory (Collaboration Environment Design)
 Passive Stereo Display and Conferencing (GridStation)
 Establish Access Grid Node (GridRoom)
 Personal Access Grid Nodes (GridStation)
 AV Equipment (GridRoom)
 Comparative Applications for Video and Internet Conferencing
Collaborators:
 TR Labs, Georgia Institute of Technology, Alberta College of Art and
Design, University of Surrey Computer Science, UK, National Research
Council, BIRS, CNICE Project (developing collaboration tools for disabled)
The Banff Centre Tool and Applications Comparison Project
o Summary : Working with researcher Boulanger, we will build a grid station that
will incorporate passive 3D display. This will allow desktop immersive
communication and data display. Banff will provide a second site in addition to U.
of A., for this technology, its deployment and analysis in the research process. The
Collaboration Laboratory is located in the Banff New Media Institute facilities and
will be linked to the WestGrid Visualization Laboratory. This facilitates groups of
researchers working on different aspects of a problem. It allows research on
comparative experiences in collaboration between the collaboration environment
and an immersive 3D-visualization environment.
Banff will provide off-the-shelf and alternate research technologies (such as
dialogue visualization tools under development at MIT and Microsoft) that it will
make available to the network. Once familiar with the Grid environment, researchers
who choose to participate can test the qualities of these tools with the assistance of
Banff Centre researchers.
We will use the Laboratory to support researchers in science, mathematics and
collaboration itself.
o People :
 UoC: Sheelagh Carpendale, Saul Greenberg
 Banff: Sara Diamond, Susan Kennard
o Deliverables/Milestones:
 April, 2003. Collaboration laboratory will be functional and operational for
testing by the end of April, 2003. We will provide access for on-site
WestGrid researcher, BIRS (Banff International Research Station) and user
testing.
 May, 2003: BNMI Collaboration summit with a public presentation May 2225th, 2003 that will include WestGrid researchers, consider progress and
show results from collaborative visualization research conducted by
Carpendale January-April, 2003.
o Collaborators:
 TR Labs, Georgia Institute of Technology, Alberta College of Art and
Design, University of Surrey Computer Science, UK, National Research
Council
Visualization Focus: Visualization applications, tools, and infrastructure
Summary: In this focus area we are developing application, tools, and infrastructure for advanced
visualization. This includes the development and deployment of new visualization applications,
new visualization hardware technologies, and tools to facilitate the use of visualization
technologies by non-visualization experts. Most research projects in this focus area will work
towards integrating these visualization tools into the collaboration infrastructure being developed as
part of the Collaboration Focus Area. This integration is done through combining existing
computational and visualization applications, new visualization applications and tools, and new
visualization technologies into the collaboration framework.
Projects
 Advanced Mathematical Visualization Suite (Application/Tool)
o Summary: Most existing mathematical software packages are not designed to
support collaborative work or even to interface directly with other software. Part of
our initial effort will be to integrate a number of software tools into a collaborative
framework we call the Advanced Visualization Suite. Some progress has already
been made in this area, in the sub-fields of topology and geometry. We intend to
extend the suite to include tools from all fields of mathematics where researchers
use computers to solve computationally difficult problems or as an aid to forming
new insights and investigating conjectures.
In order to properly support collaborative work in mathematics, it is important to
allow researchers to work together across diverse conditions, possibly using widely
different computer architectures. These may range from highly localized and
visually rich environments such as the IML at NewMIC, to a hand-held device being
used at a conference (with a possibly limited internet bandwidth). Not all existing
software tools will scale well across this range. Our research will involve
understanding these boundaries, and providing guidelines to enable developers to
write software that can best cope with many different degrees of visual richness.
In addition to integrating existing software tools into our collaborative environment,
we intend to build new software that is designed from the ground up to support
collaboration (either local or remote). We plan to propose new implementation
standards to allow future researchers to more easily convert their applications to
allow collaboration and sharing of data objects.
As the word implies, visualization has meant using graphical techniques to represent
data and to aid in its comprehension. Although this will remain the major part of our
focus, we will also extend visualization to other modalities, such as sound and
haptics.
Pierre Boulanger, Jonathan Borwein, BNMI (Diamond) and NewMIC will develop a
3D model of mathematical data that allows navigation of this data in the cave
environment. Diamond will study the use of different platform for the presentation
of these models. She will compare the research issues, questions that can be
addressed and comfort with interaction that arise from the visualization versus the
collaboration space. Borwein will place his modeling tools at Banff for BIRS
researchers and others to use and for the Banff team to test and evaluate.
o People
 SFU: J. Borwein (Project Leader), L. Bartram, J. Tolmie
 UBC: K. Booth
 NewMIC: B. Corrie, H. Wong, T. Zimmerman, R. Scharein
 UofC: L. Katz, R. Levy, D Mitchell
 UoA: P. Boulanger
 Banff: S. Diamond and Design Group
o Timeline/Milestones
 March 2003
 Build out of IRStudio with SMART board and enhanced display
capabilities
 May 2003
 Preview at Collaboration Summit, Banff Centre May 22-24th
 June 2003
 Evaluation of networking needs and formulation of proposal to
ensure sufficient connectivity between collaborative sites.
 July 2003
 ICIAM 2003
 September 2003
 Integration of stereo visualization systems into GridRooms
 Testing on distribution of stereo visualization imagery between
collaborating sites.
 December 2003

Identification of Showcase Research Project(s) that will only be
possible using this technology
 March 2004
 Results assessment and evaluation
o Budget Items
 NewMIC
 TerraVision Visualization Server (GridStation)
 Passive Stereo Display System (GridStation)
 Tiled Display Walls (Phase 1 and 2)
 IML Room Improvements (GridRoom)
 Networking (Infrastructure)
 UofC
 Integration of touch screen video displays into existing GridRoom
 Integration of interleaved stereo projector and projection surface into
GridRoom
 Evaluation of visualization needs for GridStations
o Collaborators
 UofC: IRStudio, Kinesology VR Lab, EVDS Design Studio

Collaborative Virtual Environment Development Tools
o Summary: This project will take existing expertise and tools to the next level.
Using software packages such as Virtools, Sense8 and interface devices such as the
CyberMIND head mounted display (HMD), JesterPoint motion capture system, and
the VRex 4200 projector, the team will work to identify and mount demonstration
applications that can be run over a broadband network for interactive experience by
remote users.
These devices and expertise combined with digitizing devices such as the
Cyberware head and model scanners, and the Cyrax 3D scanner for scanning
building sized objects, create ordered data clouds that can be processed to enable
models of objects, buildings and other large items to be brought into virtual
environments. Once proven over distance, these technologies should allow HPC
researchers to more easily visualize data from their particular applications and
discover new ways of interpreting and sharing the data generated by their activities
on the WestGRID cluster.
In addition, materializing devices such as the Thermwood CNC Router and the
Stratasys Genisys 3D Printer allow digitally modeled objects to take operational
concrete form for further analysis and appreciation by researchers.
o People:
 UofC: L. Katz, R. Levy, D Mitchell, D. Gadbois
 UofA: Robert Lederer
o Timeline/Milestones
 May 2003 Testing of Software performance over distance


Identification of suitable test subject material
November 2003 first demonstration
o Budget Items
 UCalgary
 Networking
 AccessGrid enhancement
 Software Renewals and Upgrades

Earth Magneto-dynamics Simulation/Visualization
o Summary: This project involves the creation of a collaborative visualization system
for the earth dynamo simulations. This ongoing project is part of collaboration
between Dr. Moritz Heimpel from the Department of Physics and Dr. Boulanger
from the Department of Computing Science. A major problem for modern fourdimensional computational simulations is that they generate large volumes of data at
a much faster rate than can be effectively processed using standard storage and
visualization techniques.
The main goal of this project is to build an advanced system for interactive, realtime visualization of computational planetary dynamo simulations. The dynamo
code is a modified version of Magic2 (J. Wicht, Phys. Earth Planet. Int., 2002).
Time scaling of typical dynamo simulations is such that it is presently feasible to
observe the motion of convection and magnetic variations in a way similar to a
laboratory experiment.
o People
 Pierre Boulanger (Project Leader), Moritz Heimpel
 CNS: Denise Thornton, Jon Johanson
 People at BigBangWidth
 NewMIC: B. Corrie, H. Wong, T. Zimmerman, R. Scharein
 UBC: K. Booth
o Timeline/Milestones
 October 2003 first demonstration (UofA-NewMic)
o Budget Items
 NewMIC
 TerraVision Visualization Server (GridStation)
 Passive Stereo Display System (GridStation)
 Tiled Display Walls (Phase 1 and 2)
 IML Room Improvements (GridRoom)
 Networking (Infrastructure)

UofA
 Passive Stereo Display System (GridStation)
 Acess Grid Room at CNS




Access Grid Update for the VizRoom
BigBangWidth 15Gb Switch
2x SGI 1 Gb/s network cards
Geophysics Visualization
o Summary: Geophysics involves large-scale and complex 3D data sets that are
important to understanding the geology of an ore deposit. This project explores the
use of immersive, high-resolution visualization technologies to help gain that
understanding. In addition, the project explores the use of collaboration technologies
that allow geophysicists at the mine site collaborate with colleagues at the head
office of an organization. This is a collaboration between the Geophysical Inversion
Facility at UBC, Placer Dome Inc, and NewMIC.
o People
 NewMIC: B. Corrie (Project Leader), H. Wong, T. Zimmerman, R.
Scharein
 UBC: D. Oldenburg, K. Booth
 Placer Dome: Peter Kowalcyk
o Timeline/Milestones
 January 2003 (NewMIC)
 Initial demonstration of collaborative visualization between NewMIC
(Vancouver) and Mirarco (Laurentian University, Sudbury) with
Placer Dome.
 December 2003
 TBD
o Budget Items
 NewMIC
 TerraVision Visualization Server (GridStation)
 Passive Stereo Display System (GridStation)
 Tiled Display Walls (Phase 1 and 2)
 IML Room Improvements (GridRoom)
 Networking (Infrastructure)

HPC Solutions Server (Tool/Infrastructure)
o Summary: One of the critical components of the WestGrid project is to design the
visualization/collaboration system in such as way that it should run relatively
independent of the original simulation code. In order to do so, we need to create a
toolkit that will easily allow users of the WestGrid infrastructure to view and
manipulate online simulation without the need for major code modifications. In
particular, the system architecture should allow three-dimensional (3D) rendering of
scalar and vector fields to occur independently of the data production process. This
means that data production delays should not cause delays in manipulation of the
visual representation, such as object rotation.
The main components of the proposed system are 1) simulation program; 2) solution
server; 3) solution formatter; 4) visualization program. Here the solution server
directs which data coming from the simulation will be processed. The solution
formatter converts simulation output for further processing by the visualization
program. The subsystems 1), 2) and 3), are run on a large multiprocessor SMP
machine or on the grid whereas subsystem 4) may be run on a remote PC or
workstation. The data transfer from the SMP machine to the PC is facilitated by data
compression, which is performed by the solution formatter.
One of the outcomes of this project is a new software library capable of connecting
easily advanced simulation programs to low cost immersive visualization system.
This toolkit will be based on SGI Performer and the VTK library and will be made
available to all the WestGrid partners free of charge.
o People
 Pierre Boulanger (Project Leader), Moritz Heimpel
 CNS: Denise Thornton, Jon Johanson
 NewMIC: B. Corrie, H. Wong, T. Zimmerman, R. Scharein
o Timeline/Milestones
 First version with a demo for October 2003
o Budget Items
 UofA
 Access Grid Update for the VizRoom
 BigBangWidth 15Gb Switch
 Two SGI 1 Gb/s network cards


NewMIC
 TerraVision Visualization Server (GridStation)
 Passive Stereo Display System (GridStation)
 Tiled Display Walls (Phase 1 and 2)
 IML Room Improvements (GridRoom)
 Networking (Infrastructure)
Passive Stereo Displays (Infrastructure)
o Summary: This project explores the use of passive stereo displays using commodity
off the shelf hardware. Such a display environment makes large-screen stereo
displays a cost effective and efficient tool for advanced visualization. This project
will develop both the technologies for the display environment as well as software
tools for using the technology effectively.
There are several planned outcomes of this work: the identification of collaboration
and visualization tasks that require these technologies, the identification of
application domains that require these technologies, the identification of techniques
to link these display technologies to other types of displays (desktop, laptop, and
wireless devices), and the development of expertise so that these technologies can be
easily deployed at other WestGRID sites. The UofA will also provide and share its
passive stereo display system and its stereo glassless tele-immersive technology
which integrate and add to the VTK toolbox a stereo video teleconferencing
capability over various platforms and bandwidth limited networks.
The University of Calgary will evaluate alternative stereo systems in tandem with
the UofA’s passive system. Facilities at the University of Calgary will support and
contain stereo visualization systems within its GridRoom and extend this capability
to GridStations. These facilities will function as test beds for advanced visualization
technologies and techniques and provide distant partners for evaluation and
development purposes.
o People
 UoA: P. Boulanger (Project Leader)
 NewMIC: B. Corrie, H. Wong, T. Zimmerman, R. Scharein
 UBC: K. Booth
 UofC: L. Katz, R. Levy, D Mitchell
o Timeline/Milestones
 June 2003 (NewMIC)
 Passive stereo display wall integrated into WestGRID QoE CoLab

June 2003 (UofC)
 Passive stereo display integrated into IRStudio to enable multi-site
collaborative research (GridRoom)

September 2003 (UofC)
 Creation of GridStations and equipping of linked GridStations with
stereo visualization technologies for evaluation of performance,
resolution and const/benefit analysis

December 2003 (UofA/NewMIC)
 Basic visualization tools for passive stereo display environment
o Budget Items
 NewMIC
 TerraVision Visualization Server (GridStation)
 Passive Stereo Display System (GridStation)
 Tiled Display Walls (Phase 1 and 2)
 IML Room Improvements (GridRoom)
 Networking (Infrastructure)

UofA
 Passive Stereo Display System (GridStation)


UofC
 Passive Stereo Display System (GridStation)
 IRStudio Improvements (GridRoom)
 Networking (Infrastructure)
3D Virtual Reality Model Rendering Over Distance
o Summary: The objective is to record 3D binocular video footage of model skills in
sports, like a golf swing done well (in our case a speed skating start or cornering), so
that a student can observe, study and learn from any position with respect to the
expert. In this virtual environment, the student can even walk around the recorded
dynamic model, slowing the movement down, if that is so desired.
To complement this, it is also our intention to build wire frame models (as with
Maya) and then to add movement and textures to them, so that the same user access
to the dynamic skill sequences are available.
The technology for doing the first, with stereo video images, requires seamless
dynamic interpolation from what is recorded to what is generated. There are
problems with this technique, which we will learn from and attempt to minimize.
The second approach, with synthetic images, is simpler in some ways but the results
may be less natural.
Both approaches will be compared for effectiveness, efficiency and learning
outcomes. Users at a distance will help to further evaluate the overall effectiveness
of this training technology.
o People
 Project Leader Larry Katz, PhD
 Richard M. Levy, M. Arch, PhD, MCIP, AIA
 Ernie Chang, MD, PhD
 Gail Kopp, PhD
 David Mitchell, PhD
 Xiufeng Peng, MSc
 Chris Chisamore, MEdTech.

Tiled Display Walls (Infrastructure)
o Summary: This project explores the use of tiled display walls for high-resolution
collaboration and visualization. Tiled display walls are a fundamental component of
the Grid Room and this project explores novel uses of high-resolution displays in
this environment. This includes the integration of interactive visualization
applications into the Grid Room. In addition, visualization problems that involve
large-scale data sets, such as genomics and geophysics, require displays that allow
high fidelity imagery.
This project will explore the use of commodity off the shelf computer and projector
technologies for visualization applications. There are several planned outcomes of
this work: the identification of collaboration and visualization tasks that require
these technologies, the identification of application domains that require these
technologies, the identification of techniques to link these display technologies to
other types of displays (desktop, laptop, and wireless devices), and the development
of expertise so that these technologies can be easily deployed at other WestGRID
sites.
These systems will use commodity off the shelf technologies and will therefore be
cost effective to deploy. Phase 1 of the tiled display wall will occur in the early
stages of WestGRID. Phase 2 will occur in the second year of WestGRID, and will
be deployed based on the experiences gained from Phase 1 of the deployment and
based on funding available in the WestGRID budget. This project is tightly coupled
with the Geophysics Visualization project and the Collaboration Focus Area.
o People
 UBC: K. Booth (Project Leader)
 NewMIC: B. Corrie, H. Wong, T. Zimmerman, R. Scharein
 UofA: Pierre Boulanger
o Timeline/Milestones
 June 2003 (NewMIC)
 Tiled display wall (Phase 1) integrated into WestGRID QoE CoLab
 March 2004 (NewMIC)
 Tiled display wall (Phase 2) integrated into WestGRID QoE CoLab
o Budget Items
 NewMIC
 Tiled Display Walls (Phase 1 and 2)
 IML Room Improvements (GridRoom)

TerraVision Visualization Server (Infrastructure)
o Summary: This project explores the use of commodity hardware for use in providing
high-end visualizations capabilities to users at a remote desktop. Until recently this
capability could only be provided by a high-end (and expensive) visualization server
like the SGI Onyx. This project explores the issues and capabilities of using a
modern commodity graphics chip set and high-end frame-buffer and networking
cards to provide the same capability at a fraction of the cost. This allows remote
scientists to visualize large, complex data sets and manage them from their remote
desktops. Due to its relatively low cost, such a system could also be widely deployed
at a variety of sites to increase the visualization capability of the WestGRID
scientific community.
o People
 NewMIC: B. Corrie (Project Leader), H. Wong, T. Zimmerman, R.
Scharein
 UBC: K. Booth
o Timeline/Milestones
 December 2003 (NewMIC)
 Commodity visualization server integrated into WestGRID QoE
CoLab
o Budget Items
 NewMIC
 TerraVision Visualization Server (GridStation)
 IML Room Improvements (GridRoom)
 Networking (Infrastructure)

BanffCentre VIC Project
o Summary: Visualization and collaboration research by Dr. Sheelagh Carpendale
and Saul Greenberg, with Alan Dunning and Sara Diamond. Observational study of
interdisciplinary practice around collaboration in visualization research; develop
common language amongst researchers; develop process guidelines. Carpendale
will use WestGrid data from CyberCell, U. of A. Bioinformatics Group and BIRS.
(see details Page Four). Researchers will draw conclusions about how to make the
collaborative process work well and related tools; provide data visualizations for
research scientists to use in their research; continue Diamond/Carpendale research
into visualizing conversation and related information data; develop elastic
presentation of science data.
Visualization components of VIC/Banff collaboration. Banff New Media Institute
will build a Visualization Laboratory, working in close collaboration with Pierre
Boulanger, which can be reconfigured in response to the needs of researchers and
specific projects. This Laboratory will be capable of demonstrating immersive
interactions with a simulation running on the grid. This laboratory will have three
wall display capacity, immersive sound, wireless interface capabilities and a
responsive floor, as well as the sensor and haptic interfaces Dr. Boulanger has
developed. Some of the deliverables are:
 Creation of a networked research laboratory at the Banff Centre. This
laboratory will include the collaboration laboratory and the visualization
laboratory. In the past, the lack of appropriate equipment has hindered
collaboration between the Banff Centre and VIC researchers. Most
equipment was too old to run VIC software effectively, or was on the wrong
platform. The Centre simply did not have enough modern equipment to
dedicate for discretionary research. WestGrid changes this situation.
 Contrast and compare use of various tools by specific WestGrid researchers.
 Sub-Projects in this area are:
 Phidgets (Greenberg). Phidgets, or Physical Widgets, is a toolkit that
makes it extremely easy to prototype physical user interfaces under
computer control. This is a mature by still evolving project. With
Banff Centre residents, we will create physical interfaces for
collaboration. In particular, we will look at how sensor-based phidget
interfaces can guard privacy concerns, and how output phidget

interfaces can display awareness information as well as event
notifications.
Elastic Presentation (Carpendale). Elastic presentation provides
lenses that have adjustable interactive local magnification
capabilities. These lenses can be applied to visualizations to create
images that contain differing levels of magnification and can be used
according to current needs for emphasis and exploration. These
lenses have thus far only been used in software designed for a single
user. With Banff Centre residents, we will investigate employing this
facility for collaborative purposes. For instance, if multiple people
are able to use magnification lenses, they may prove useful for
indicating what aspect of the visualisation they are inspecting.
o People:
 UoC : Shelagh Carpendale, Saul Greenberg, Bryan Wyvil
 UoA : Pierre Boulanger
 Banff : Sara Diamond
o Deliverables/Milestones:
 May, 22-25, 2003: Public demonstration of Bioinformatics data from the
Bioinformatics group, Dr. Russ Greiner from Carpendale workshop.
 September, 2003: Build WestGrid Visualization Laboratory at The Banff
Centre
 September 2004: Toolkit delivered—toolkit will enable WestGrid
researchers to test and share data.
 September 2004: Research summit-on visualization and collaboration--that
includes a public presentation and press coverage of research results from
collaboration and visualization toolkit and activities.
o Collaborators:
 Collaborators : TR Labs, Georgia Institute of Technology, Alberta College of
Art and Design, University of Surrey Computer Science, UK, National
Research Council
HCI Focus: HCI issues in heterogeneous device environments:
In this focus area we are investigating enriched interactive environments in which there are
multiple types of devices and technologies that can be combined in novel ways for both single and
collaborative work. Several different technologies are being combined and evaluated, from the
leading edge to consumer scale, including wall- and table-mounted large touch-screen displays,
high-resolution desktop systems, laptops, interactive whiteboards, handheld and wireless devices,
pen-based computing tablets and paper.
At SFU three different collaborative environments are being installed: standard desktop, single-user
systems based on AccessGrid;. a smaller GridRoom serving 5-8 people with a single large display
configuration and portable single-user devices ; and. the SFU CoLab as the larger GridRoom, in
which groups of up to 20 can collect to work with the full suite of technologies described above.
[NewMIC component – Two GridRooms (our IML with the VR capability and our Living Room
with the Plasma/touch overlay) and multiple GridStations (desktop, laptop, tablet, PDA) This is
basically our GridStation and GridRoom budget items.]
The research goals that underpin this focus centre around the study of how heterogeneous devices
may be combined into device suites for particular complex information tasks, and what tasks these
suites and enriched environments may aid or impede. The content focus is mathematics,
quantitative scientific information, and education.
We anticipate this research will contribute to the following outcomes: the identification of
collaboration and visualization tasks that are made possible, amplified or impeded.
How effective large wall-sized displays are compared to more traditional displays (monitors
or LCD projectors).nologies can contribute to their own needs and the needs of the network
as a whole.
How multiple pointers and input devices can be used simultaneously
How control of applications is passed amongst users and how this is communicated to those
who are present, those who are remote, and those reviewing the interaction at a later time.
How presentation of information or affordances for control of the collaborative technology
can or should be customized to a particular or set of users, a particular task or set of tasks,
or to particular attributes of the collaboration (spatial, temporal, cultural, etc.).
By these technologies an analysis and understanding of how different combinations of tools may be
useful as device suites for particular kinds of tasks, both collaborative and singular, in both face to
face and remote situations; the analysis and development of novel interaction techniques to span,
share and control diverse devices ; and the implementation of an adaptive infrastructure that
maximizes a collaboration’s Quality of Experience (QoE) for the end user across a wide range of
technology platforms. Some specific questions to be addressed include:
The results will inform other WestGrid sites of how these technologies can be used.
The researchers involved in this area are Borwein (SFU), Bartram (SFU), diPaola (SFU), Dugaro
(SFU), Tolmie (UBC), Po (UBC), Booth (UBC/NewMIC), Corrie (NewMic), Wong (NewMIC),
Ihara (NewMIC/NTT), and Zimmerman (NewMIC).
Deliverables:
 Phase 1: Four months after receiving funding the systems will be operational and ready for
use for visualization and collaboration projects (including teaching in either of the two
GridRooms). Participants for user studies will be solicited and usage will be encouraged and
recorded.
 Twelve months after receiving CFI funding, an preliminary analysis of device chacracteristics
for defined tasks will be available based on initial studies.
 By December 2003 a set of methodologies for evaluating multi-user/multi-device use will be
developed and reported to other WestGrid sites.
 In August of 2003 a prototype of the Quality of Experience infrastructure will be deployed at
one or more WestGrid sites and be available for end user testing.

This focus area relates to the Smart MultipleTouch overlays, the networking infrastructure,
and the high-resolution PanoRam displays in the SFU WestGrid budget as well as the
GridStation, and GridRoom upgrades in the NewMIC budget..
Lyn Bartram, Rob Ballantyne, Kelly Booth, Brian Corrie, and Rob Scharein (Dec 18, 2002)

Collaboration Methods and Best Practices-- Evaluation of Cross-Disciplinary
Science Research Practices and Technologies
o Summary: It is increasingly necessary for researchers from diverse
disciplines to share their domain expertise. Teams increasingly include
designers/artists, scientists (Ede 2000), computer scientists, engineers, and
social scientists (Sommerer and Mignonneau 1999). A successful
collaboration should show demonstrable results that satisfy all participants
and lead to discoveries.
Best practice analysis suggests that collaborations work best when there is
cohesion (Legrady and Steinheider, 2002; Beam: Bridges, 2001-2). This is
indicated by shared goals, a common vocabulary; a willingness and capacity
to problem solve, role mobility; project durability and shared validation.
Over time, these factors result in a new common identity. (Century, Calvert:
Bridges 2002; Steinheider 2001).
In the last three years, computer science researchers have begun to build
collaboration tools. Visual cues provide participants with information about
discussion topics and the numbers and identities of participants in a
conversation (Preece, Erickson, Donath, 1999; Viegas, Donath, 1999;
Donath 2002, Smith 2002; Smith 2002; Kurlander 1996; Sack 2000; Salway
2002; Shimojima 1999; Diamond 2000-2002).
Actor-network theory (Law, 1999; Butler, 2002; Broome, 2000) and
ethnography (Wakeford, Cohen, 2002; Stone, 1996, 2000, Diamond, 2001-2)
examine the ways that identities emerge and change through the actions of
participants within a specific set of relationships, effecting the flow of
information and the discovery process itself.
Performance theory examines the ways that we play roles within daily life
and working experiences. It compares theatrical role-play and the reception
of the content of these roles with role-play in the social arena.
Visualization scientists create models from data (Eilen, McCarthy, Brewer
1993; Stohotte 1998; Gardenfors 2000; Wilks, 1995; Spence 1998; BNMI
Archives, 2000, 2001, 2002). Recently, researchers have noted that the
context in which their visualizations are seen and the ideas that viewers bring
with them effects the interpretation of the visualization English, 2002). This
reinforces the need to incorporate cues of visual literacy into tools, in order
to help researchers find shared interpretations.
During WestGrid we will refine the criteria for successful collaboration
through observation of current face-to-face and on-line components of the
collaboration process, the review of complementary projects. I will
document and analyse the factors that lead to a durable and successful
collaboration. I will test the hypotheses that cohesion reinforces
collaboration. I will use these conclusions to contrast physical presence with
on-line collaboration, looking for ways that the working and social culture
shifted or remained consistent. My hypothesis is that on-line collaboration
tools should combine selected benefits of working in a shared physical space
with those of on-line experience.
We will examine the archival materials, my documentation of current
projects and the user tests to quantify and describe in precise ways new
understandings, inventions, methodologies and discoveries that that might
result from specific network and tool configurations. I will attempt to
indicate any general trends that I see across the collaborations that use online visualization tools. This will suggest in turn, ways that these tools could
be improved to enable creative collaboration.
Susan Bennett will analyse the ways that collaborative and visualization
technologies establish roles for their users. The quality and flexibility of
these roles will be an object of study.
Methodology:
 Analysis of assumptions within collaborative and visualization tool
design
 Participant observation of collaboration process
 Interviews with selected users and analysis from interviews
 User surveys re: selected research tools
o People:
 Banff : Sara Diamond (Project Leader), with Susan Bennett, Susan
Kennard
o Deliverables/Milestones:
 Written analysis of collaboration tools, methods of use and interfaces
(2003, 2004)—presentation at Banff New Media Institute Summit,
2003 and 2004
 Analysis of visualization tools, methods of use and interfaces
(2003,2004)-- presentation at Banff New Media Institute Summit,
2003 and 2004
 Recommendations with resulting training procedures on integration
of collaboration tools into networked research context
 Evaluation of visualization tools with recommendations re: protocols
 Recommendations re: future tool development

April, 2003: Establish Archive of Data to Study, including video
documentation of sessions, transcripts
 May, 2003: Present research methodology and outcomes at
Collaboration Summits, TBC, May 2003, May 2004
 June, 2003 – April, 2004 : study researchers, undertake questionaires
and comparative study
o Budget Items:
 Collaboration and Visualization Laboratories
 video recording, data base maintenance
o Collaborators:
 Sociology Dept., University of Surrey, UK, SmartLab Centre,
London Institute, UK, Intel, SGI ENCART (EU), University of New
Westminster, UK, TR Labs, RACOL, ABEL Projects, Canada