This paper proposes apertures of size 22k for hexagonal grids together with their indexing scheme, where k may be any positive integer. Hexagonal grid can be represented by an ideal I(2+ω) of a unit-ring Z(ω) of Eisenstein integers, where, for the set Z of integers and the cube root ω of 1, Z(ω) denotes {a+bω|a,b∈Z}, and, for any λ∈Z(ω), I(λ) denotes an ideal {κλ|κ∈Z(ω)} of Z(ω). We show that a factor ring I(2+ω)/I(2k(2+ω)) represents an aperture 22k hexagonal grid, and prove that it is isomorphic to a factor ring Z(ω)/I(2k). The latter represents a trigonal grid in a rhombus-shaped aperture with its edge length 2k, where we can address each of its 22k grid points as i+jω using two k-bit positive binary integers. We show that each grid point α=a+bω in I(2+ω)/I(2k(2+ω)) can be indexed by the address of its isomorphic image in Z(ω)/I(2k), and that this index is identical to the pair of the k-bit 2’s complements of a and b. Based on these findings, we clarify how indices may change for different resolutions, how to define the hierarchical indexing, how to geometrically interpret algebraic operations on indices, and, as one of the applications, how the quantization of trajectories of 106∼107 mobile objects on hexagonal grids may reduce the communication capacity required for their quasi-real-time simultaneous monitoring and sharing through the Internet. We also show how our indexing scheme can be applied to the design of DGGSs (Discrete Global Grid Systems) that cover the entire Earth's surface and 3D regular grids.

Many real world data sets have data items with missing values. Values can be missing for many different reasons, such as sensor failure, respondents forgetting or refusing to answer a question in a survey, or a certain feature not being applicable to certain subsets of data. When visualizing data, some visualizations can easily handle missing values, while for others it is not obvious how to represent them without the resulting visualization being misleading. We give examples of different ways our system for interactive visual exploration of data handles missing data. These examples come from real world big data projects we took part in. Different ways to visualize missing values work well with different visualizations. Coordinated multiple views is a powerful way to visualize data with missing values, and having several views of the data helps explore the properties of the items with missing values.

We argue that exploratory visual analytics frameworks are needed for efficient big data research and datadriven research, and exemplify with experiences from our research. Such frameworks can be used for iterative hypothesis generation and hypothesis verification, and for exploratory creation of appropriate explanatory variables to use in data acquisition and analysis. We discuss how complex analysis tools, e.g. data mining tools, can be integrated with the coordinated multiple views framework and we briefly present a framework that can support such extended coordinated multiple views frameworks and that can be used for “open science”, i.e. making scientific research, methods, data, etc. reusable and more accessible to everyone.

Modern geo-position system (GPS) enabled smart phones are generating an increasing volume of information about their users, including geo-located search, movement, and transaction data. While this kind of data is increasingly rich and offers many grand opportunities to identify patterns and predict behaviour of groups and individuals, it is not immediately obvious how to develop a framework for extracting plausible inferences from these data. In our case, we have access to a large volume (more than half a billion individual records) of real user data from the Point smart phone application, and we have developed a generic and layered system architecture to incrementally find aggregate items of interest within that data. "Interest" is based on the semantics of the data, so include time and space correlations, e.g., Are people searching for dinner and a movie, distributions of usage patterns and platforms, e.g., Geographic distribution of Android, Apple, and Black-Berry users, and clustering to identify interesting and relatively complex search and movement patterns, e.g., Consumer trajectories from key word searches. Our integration of visualization tools is thus guided top-down, by semantic concepts in the application domain, rather than by bottom-up tool development. Our presentation here is preliminary in that we provide sketches of case-studies that demonstrate an application specific integration of the three major components of modern visual analytics: visualization, analytics, and interaction (VAI). Our case-study sketches show how an interactive system for visual data exploration can be used to alternate between exploratory search -- looking for ideas and new hypothesis in data -- and explanatory search -- looking for evidence to support a hypothesis. While we have not yet formulated experiments to directly measure the cognitive efficacy of our experimental system, we believe that our semantically-driven VAI workflows and the integration of visual methods and interaction provides some useful ideas about how to extend current frameworks for visual analytics systems.

In this paper, we propose an extended interactive framework for exploratory search, integration, and visual analysis of semantic web resources. In our previous framework, users can visually and dynamically repeat the process of schema extraction, its expansion, schema integration, visual query definition, and query evaluation for finding information in an exploratory way until they get all the information they need from the semantic web. To extend our previous framework, we provide a new component and coordination rules to enable users to dynamically construct coordinated multiple views to visualize and analyze retrieved semantic web resources. Users can select multiple data by interacting with the constructed multiple views to filter and compare data or to find relationships in large and highly interconnected datasets by using brushing-and-linking technique.

We present a fundamental problem which arises within an emerging theory of visualization, and provide examples that illustrate the challenge of what we call semantic symmetry. This theory of visualization distinguishes data domains (e.g., Numbers and symbols) from picture domains (e.g., Shapes, shading, colour), and provides a framework for specifying a variety of mappings between data and picture domains. Visualization is about enabling inferences about data within the human visual system, so crucially depends on the management of mappings from the data to the picture domain. But there are many possible choices for these mappings, and only in the last decade has there emerged any serious assessment of how one might measure the quality of a visualization. The situation is further complicated by what is now called visual analytics, where data to picture mappings allow manipulation of that picture to further understand or reveal the underlying data relationships. This kind of picture manipulation is exactly the departure point for our presentation of the problem of semantic symmetry. Semantic symmetry considers the problem of how to couple data and picture so that changes in one are accurately reflected in the other. We illustrate the foundational nature of the problems arising from the desire for semantic symmetry, and explain the kinds of constraints and framework that are necessary in order to be able to support a more complete theory of visualization.

We describe a system called the Digital Dashboard that uses multiple linked views of data. All views allow interaction with the visualization results and interaction is done through direct manipulation. The system has been extended to allow new complex data to be generated in analysis components at runtime, e.g. By statistical analysis or data mining of parts of the data. The resulting data can be used in other linked views or analysis components, so when e.g. A data mining parameter is changed, all linked views (or analysis components) are automatically updated as soon as the new calculations are finished, and when something changes in linked components (e.g. A different subset of the data is selected), the calculations are automatically redone (if necessary).

The proliferation of touch sensitive display screens has created a new generation of human-computer interaction styles which are so natural and common that even the youngest of users now perceive ordinary static media like a glossy magazine as a broken iPad. The volume of users who expect to be able to pinch, grab, twist and manipulate images on screen is rapidly growing; they drive a renewed interest in developing, assessing, and delivering new direct manipulation systems. Our premise is that one can exploit new technologies to develop new repertoires of direct manipulation, but with increasing pressure to provide semantically-coupled direct manipulation methods to experiment with computational information models. We develop this premise by noting highlights in the evolution of direct manipulation interfaces, and suggest that their selection and deployment can be tailored as visual experiments to debug and extend more complex computational models of information systems and processes. These systems and processes include those of natural systems such as arise in systems biology (e.g., modelling multiple levels of protein structure), but also in "unnatural" systems such as in the identification of hubs and authorities in artificial systems like the World Wide Web (WWW). The immediate consequence of our premise suggests that the design of direct manipulation tools should proceed with the semantics of the modelled systems in mind, so that each users' manipulations provide a new perspective on the concept of "data mining" of large data sets. This will allow users to not just expose implicit relationships, but to incrementally combine explanatory and exploratory investigation by direct manipulation, to adjust and improve the computational knowledge models that emerge from the underlying data.

We describe our system for visualizing data from clinical trials. The system is intended for clinicians with little or no knowledge of statistics, data mining, etc. The system is built using pluggable components, and it is easy to add more types of visualization. Currently the system supports interactive data exploration using for instance parallel coordinates, image maps, charts, and life tables. Grouping and filtering patients or subsets of data is easy and any changes are immediately reflected in all visualization tools currently used.

We propose a full-text search technique for image-scanned documents that does not recognize individual characters. The system is as fast as a full-text search of machine-readable documents. Such a system is important when working with historical handwritten manuscripts. The proposed method works independently of differences in language and font because it uses a new pseudo-coding scheme based on the statistical features of character shapes. We evaluated our method in recall-precision curves for n-gram-based query strings in Japanese manuscripts and word-based query strings in English manuscripts using two types of image features and two different pseudo-coding schemes. Results demonstrate that the precision reached over 50% at a recall point of 80% for 3-gram queries in the Japanese manuscripts. Results also indicate that our pseudo-code is suitable for applications that use machine-learning techniques. The combination of an HMM-based filtering method and our pseudo-code can significantly improve performance in terms of retrieval precision.

This paper describes a compression technique for printed document images and string matching method on the compressed images.To send digitized document images over the Web, compression of the document images is required. Moreover, in order to deal with historical letterpress printing collections, it is important to provide a full-text search method for them.The proposed compression scheme is based on character pattern matching \& substitution approach using a string matching technique of document images.The proposed string matching method is independent from the difference of languages and fonts because it uses the pseudo-coding that is based on statistical character shape features.We also use the pseudo-codes in a string matching of compressed documents.The system is as fast as the full-text search of machine-readable texts.Our method was evaluated in the compressed size, calculating recall-precision curves for n-gram-based query strings.The experiments have shown that about 100 pages of document in gray-scale at 300 dpi can be compressed down to around one megabyte.

Word spotting is the task of retrieving a text region that has a similar appearance to a query image specified by the user. This paper proposes an automatic evaluation framework for word spotting methods. In order to make our framework available to researchers around the world, we discuss some standard definitions and representations that are suitable for most word spotting methods, regardless of the assumptions and settings on which the individual methods depend. We also design a protocol for interprocess communication between a parent process and a word spotting engine. This protocol can modularize individual spotting methods to become interchangeable parts in a larger application. Our framework will promote the development of such a word spotting method and improve its usability.

This paper presents a word spotting method based on line-segmentation, sliding window, continuous dynamic programming, and slit style HOG feature. Our method is applicable regardless of what language is written in the manuscript because it does not require any language-dependent preprocess. The slit style HOG feature is a gradient-distribution-based feature with overlapping normalization and redundant expression, and the use of this feature improved the performance of the word spotting. We compared our method with some previously developed word spotting methods, and confirmed that our method outperforms them in both English and Japanese manuscripts.

The aim of our research is to provide an application framework for end-users, who do not have enough programming skills, to dynamically generate applications using interactive, coordinated, multiple 3D visualization techniques. In our framework, each 3D application for visualization is constructed by users themselves or already exists, and consists of sets of interactive 3D components. Users can embed such 3D applications into cells on Excel, and define the coordination between them. To define coordination, we provide interactive 2D/3D components and coordination rules that enable users to use operations for coordination such as brushing and linking, retrieving related or detailed information one after another, synchronizing viewpoints between 3D visualizations, and sharing table values between 3D components for visualizations and cells on Excel.

In this paper, we propose a novel scheme for representing character string images in the scanned document. We converted conventional multi-dimensional descriptors into pseudo-codes which have a property that: if two vectors are near in the original space then encoded pseudo-codes are 'semi equivalent with high probability. For this conversion, we combined locality sensitive hashing (LSH) indices and at the same time we also developed a new family of LSH functions that is superior to earlier ones when all vectors are constrained to lie on the surface of the unit sphere. Word spotting based on our pseudo-code becomes faster than multi-dimensional descriptor-based method while it scarcely degrades the accuracy.

We propose a spreadsheet-based visualization framework for end-users to generate and modify multiple 3D visualizations of data-sets from various Web resources. In this paper, first, we provide a 3D component-based access mechanism to Web resources. It allows users to access various Web resources using only 3D visual components interactively. Second, we provide an interactive 3D visualization mechanism. It enables users to construct multiple 3D visualizations of data-sets from various Web resources just by combining 3D visual components. Third, we provide 2D components for communicating between a spreadsheet and 3D components. Users can export necessary functions of 3D components and define synchronization between these components and cells on a spreadsheet. A spreadsheet environment allows us to define relationships among cells, and copy these relationships through a copy and paste manipulation. By using these mechanisms, users can create multiple visualizations in parallel in order to compare different visualization results simultaneously for different visualization parameters just through a user's direct manipulation.

Form-based Web applications described in HTML can be easily used by end-users. In order to enable end-users to define a series of tasks by combining multiple Web resources, it is necessary to provide an orchestration environment for Web applications. A spreadsheet is one of the most popular applications for office workers. It provides an end- user programming environment. In this paper, we propose a spreadsheet-based environment for end-users to orchestrate multiple Web applications. First, we provide a method for embedding various Web resources in spreadsheet cells as visual components in order to reuse them on the spreadsheet. Second, we propose an access method for embedded components using the special function in the formula language. Our approach enables users to define the complex coordination of multiple Web applications on the spreadsheet using the formula language.

This paper proposes a new concept and mechanism for the user and content interaction between multiple spaces in a 3D virtual environment. We introduce two types of visual components; a flat, window-like WorldMirror, and a volumetric WorldBottle. These components embed other spaces inside and render them on their surface, so that users can look into the contents of other spaces from their current working one and choose to enter. They also allow content manipulation in embedded spaces from the current space. Users can move an object from an embedded space to the current working space, or drop an object from the current space into an embedded space. In contrast to conventional approaches, the proposed mechanism enables us not only to define a spatial connection between different spaces, but also to define a functional linkage among components in different spaces.

In this paper, we propose a component-based framework for generating simple 3D applications that aid users in the use of Web services without the need for programming. These days we can get lots of information through Web services. By using Web services, we can reduce the need to buy data packages and construct special databases in order to generate 3D information visualization systems or 3D simulation systems. Basically, we need to write some scripts or programs to access Web services. Therefore, it is difficult for users to use interactively through a graphical user interface, especially in a 3D virtual environment. Our framework uses the 3D meme media system IntelligentBox as its platform. All functions for accessing Web services are provided by 3D proxy components. Users have only to operate 3D interactive components and create composite components in order to create applications that use Web services. Users input values by means of specialized interface components, thereby creating requests to Web services, and changing visualization parameters. In this way, users can easily compose simple applications with a combination of arbitrary 3D components

The contribution of this paper includes three folders: (1) To introduce a topic-oriented query expansion model based on the Information Bottleneck theory that classify terms into distinct topical clusters in order to find out candidate terms for the query expansion. (2) To define a term-term similarity matrix that is available to improve the term ambiguous problem. (3) To propose two measures, intracluster and intercluster similarities, that are based on proximity between the topics represented by two clusters in order to evaluate the retrieval effectiveness. Results of several evaluation experiments in Web search exhibit the average intracluster similarity was improved for the gain of 79.1% while the average intercluster similarity was decreased for the loss of 36.0%.

Many applications provide a form-like interface for requesting information: the user fills in some fields, submits the form, and the application presents corresponding results. Such a procedure becomes burdensome if (1) the user must submit many different requests, for example in pursuing a trial-and-error search, (2) results from one application are to be used as inputs for another, requiring the user to transfer them by hand, or (3) the user wants to compare results, but only the results from one request can be seen at a time. We describe how users can reduce this burden by creating custom interfaces using three mechanisms: clipping of input and result elements from existing applications to form cells on a spreadsheet; connecting these cells using formulas, thus enabling result transfer between applications; and cloning cells so that multiple requests can be handled side by side. We demonstrate a prototype of these mechanisms, initially specialised for handling Web applications, and show how it lets users build new interfaces to suit their individual needs.

We propose a framework for generating an information access space from existing knowledge repositories. Currently, vast amounts of information are being accumulated at accelerating paces in many fields. These include multimedia documents, application program and services. We need new access architecture for organizing and accessing intellectual assets. We propose the use of context as a data modelling mechanism and the construction of an interactive information access space to support users' intuitive access to large amounts of information. A context is a modular representation of information under different perspectives. A context-based information access space enables operations over contextualized objects. We describe the component-based framework and implementation of a context-based information access space.

The paper proposes virtual input devices based on collision detection for easy construction of interactive 3D graphics applications which use a motion capture system as a real time input device. Each virtual input device is composed from several collision sensor objects and an actuator object. These objects are software components represented as a visible object which users can manipulate on a computer screen. Each virtual input device has a certain metaphor associated with its role that is determined by location and composition structure of its components. Therefore, it is possible to define various virtual input devices easily only by combining several sensor objects and an actuator object through direct manipulations on a computer screen. The paper presents a realization mechanism and actual examples of virtual input devices.

Computers are expanding their target of augmentation from individuals and groups to societies. While people in a group share a definite goal, people in a society share their achievements in the form of their knowledge. The augmentation of societies requires a new type of media that can carry varieties of knowledge resources, replicate themselves, recombine themselves, and be naturally selected by their environment. They may be called meme media since they carry what R. Dawkins called "memes". An accumulation of memes in a society forms a meme pool that functions like a gene pool. When economic activities are introduced, a meme pool becomes a meme market where providers and distributors of memes carry their business without prohibiting users reediting and redistributing memes. Meme Media Laboratory established in Oct. 1996 are conducting the research on meme media and meme market architectures.

The paper treats a constructive visual software development system for interactive 3D graphic applications. Our system, Intelligent Box represents any objects as reactive 3D visual objects, which are called Boxes that can be manually combined with other Boxes. It provides a uniform framework for the concurrent definition of both geometrical compound structures among Boxes and their mutually interactive functional linkages. It works as a user friendly rapid prototyping software development system. We have introduced a collaborative environment into the Intelligent Box system as a function of a particular Box called a RoomBox for distributed 3D graphic applications. Multiple RoomBoxes on different computers share specific user operation events with each other. Those RoomBoxes virtually provide some users with a shared 3D space. Already developed Boxes work in a shared 3D space without any modifications. Therefore, it is possible to construct distributed 3D graphic applications rapidly and easily by using RoomBoxes. The paper introduces the RoomBox, describes its mechanism and shows a few application examples.

Computers are expanding their target of augmentation from individuals to groups, and furthermore from groups to societies.While people in a group share a definite common task goal, people in a society share their knowledge resources and reuse them to produce new ones.The augmentation of societies requires a new type of media that can carry varieties of knowledge resources, replicate themselves, recombine themselves, and be naturally selected by their environment.They may be called meme media since they carry what R. Dawkins called "memed'.The accumulation of memes in a society will form a meme pool, which will work as a gene pool to bring a rapid evolution of knowledge resources shared by this society.We need a world-wide repository of memes, and a good browser to access this repository.This repository works as a marketplace where people can publish memes, browse through them, and reuse some of them.This paper reviews IntelligentPad as a meme media architecture, and proposes two new system architectures that work as marketplace systems for meme media.

This paper proposes a constructive visual software development system for interactive 3D graphic applications. Our system called the IntelligentBox is an extension of the 2D media construction system IntelligentPad to 3D application systems. While the IntelligentPad represents any object as a pad, i.e., a reactive 2D media component with a card image, which can be manually pasted on another pad to define a compound document the IntelligentBox represents any objects as reactive 3D visual objects that can be combined with other reactive 3D visual objects. Both provide uniform frameworks for the concurrent definition of both geometrical compound structures among reactive objects and their mutually interactive functional linkages. The IntelligentBox allows us to easily combine existing primitives in order to compose various interactive 3D compound objects and their coordination mechanism. It works as a user-friendly rapid-prototyping software development system for interactive 3D graphic applications and computer animations.>