The GNNViz Project
This project, "Innovative, 3-D, interactive, and immersive techniques for visualizing, querying, and understanding regional maps of forest vegetation, fuels, and fire risk" (refered to as "GNNViz") is Project 05-4-1-12 funded by the Joint Fire Sciences Program (http://jfsp.nifc.gov/).
Screenshot from GNNViz
The GNNViz project is exploring the use of computer game technology to create highly interactive forest data visualization and interaction not previously available to researchers. Rather than take the "roll your own" approach to creating visualization tools, we are leveraging the superior capability of game technology to render realistic 3d environments and allow multiple users to interact with each other in a shared environment.
By putting the GNN dataset with DEM and DOQ data into the game environment, we are creating a virtual space where users can visualize the data and explore it in a way not possible with the traditional GIS approach. Real time rendering allows users to move about and explore huge areas of terrain on the order of many 10's of kilometers across.
Beyond visualization of forest environments, GNNViz may prove to be a framework for creating effective interactive training and simulation environments. It should be possible to create applications where multiple students can be exposed to simulated dangerous, difficult or expensive experiences such as forest fire training and prescribed burning techniques.
For a selection of pictures generated during the development of GNNViz, see the GNNViz Gallery page.