Nine universities as one - Taking data visualization to new heights

InfraVis pools visualization expertise from nine partner universities, forming eight nodes. This makes it possible for InfraVis to help researchers visualize data from a broad range of research areas. This is also what makes InfraVis unique. 

The node coordinators at the partner universities were asked two questions: “How is your node contributing to InfraVis?” and “Does your node bring any special expertise?” Read their answers below and learn about the competence available at InfraVis.

Jonathan Westin, Chalmers University and Gothenburg University

The Gothenburg node, consisting of experts from Chalmers and the University of Gothenburg, contributes with knowledge regarding urban and cultural heritage visualisations and simulations. Our expertise is divided into two tracks: One concerns artificial intelligence, machine learning, and simulations, and the other concern advanced spatial documentation as well as virtual and augmented reality. 

In addition to being on the international forefront in regard to visualizing urban and cultural heritage spatial contexts, through the work our experts do at the Centre for digital humanities, we have extensive experience in developing open web tools that let researchers collect, analyze and publish their data according to FAIR standards.

Mario Romero, KTH

KTH contributes  state-of-the-art computing and visualization research in scientific and data visualization across all media, from desktop and tabletop interactions, to virtual, augemented and mixed realities. KTH further contributes through engaging in pilot projects in order to develop procedures for InfraVis as well as through our node coordinator and technical manager who  coordinates InfraVis activities within KTH and across all nine nodes, together with the management team and the steering committee.

Our special expertise includes in-situ visualizations of flow simulations. We also use a number of techniques including virtual and augmented reality, laboratory user studies, field observations with domain experts, including surgical teams at various hospitals. 

Peter Westerdahl, Linköping University 

Linköping University contributes to InfraVis by facilitating world-leading research within advanced image analysis and transformation of big data into comprehensible images, maps and diagrams. The resilts are used for augmented reality and in immersive environments. 

Examples of the special visualization expertise that Linköping University brings to the table include scientific visualization, medical visualization, image processing and analysis, deep learning and AI in visualization – with the human in the loop, visual learning and communication, XR, VR and MR haptics as well as immersive visualization. We also have assets such as Visualization Centre C in Norrköping and CMIV (Center for Medical Imaging and Visualization) in Linköping.

Andreas Kerren, Linnaeus University

Linnaeus University  will mainly provide human expertise in information visualization and visual analytics. The research vision of the visualization experts at the LNU node is to attack the big data challenge by a combination of human-centered data analysis and interactive visualization for decision-making. We further bring broad and decades-long experience in interdisciplinary research collaborations and in diverse application fields, ranging from the life sciences to the humanities. 

The research experience that we have acquired in the past decades encompass a number of areas not covered by other nodes, such as the visual analytics of large and dynamic text collections, the visualization of large and complex multivariate networks, multidimensional data analysis with the help of dimensionality reduction methods, and visual analytics for explainable and trustworthy machine learning. For all these areas, we have not only provided internationally recognized scientific contributions in fundamental research, but we have also developed web-based visualization tools to support exploratory data analysis.

Anders Sjöström, Lund University

Lund University serves researchers in need of visualisation support in all research fields by way of engaging experts from several institutions/faculties at Lund University such as the Humanities Lab, the Virtual Reality lab, Lund BioImaging Centre (LBIC), AI Lund, the Center for Quantification of Imaging Data from MAX IV (QIM), the infrastructure for correlative image processing and analysis (CIPA), and the Lund University compute centre (LUNARC). The Lund University node is further contributing with one of the national technical managers of InfraVis as well as with InfraVis Communications Lead.  

Given the wide range of expertise within the LU node, we can serve from the very modest to the very large needs of researchers, and across several magnitudes of scale from the nano world to the sizes of the universe.

Mårten Sjöström, Mid Sweden University

The InfraVis node at Mid Sweden University will contribute with proximity to researchers at regional universities. Our 3D-lab facilities enable visualizations for immersive experiences. Our research engineers and InfraVis application experts will contribute in terms of user support as well as with expertise in multidimensional rendering and assessment methodology.

Mid Sweden university possesses expertise related to immersive visual experiences. Our application experts have knowledge and skills in light field capture, processing, and visualizations enabling immersive experiences using 3D-displays as well as head-mounted displays for VR and AR applications. This is combined with information visualization and visual analytics with data from other media, for example, images and video. Mid Sweden University also has expertise in assessment methods for user-centered visual media, also known as User Quality of Experience.

Roger Mähler, Umeå University

Umeå University, through its Humlab, has a long history of empowering researchers and research projects (within the humanities) by means of using state-of-the-art digital tools and methods, including various forms of data visualization. 

With long experience in multidisciplinary projects, Umeå University brings in humanistic perspectives of great value in many “hard” science research projects. It provides in-depth skills in spatiotemporal visualization using GIS software and in custom-building front-end data-driven tools. The Umeå node also has s a skillset in application of tools, methods and technologies from game development (Unity, VR, AR) and entertainment industry in research process as well as a skillset for presenting results in a visual and interactive way. An additional skillset found the Umeå node relates to contemporary art and artistic research that explore and use digital tools, environments, and theory. 

Ingela Nyström, Uppsala University 

The Uppsala node will enable research using our vast visualization experience of, in particular, image data. The application areas range from medicine and life sciences to digital humanities and beyond. The Centre for Image Analysis at Uppsala University constitutes an excellent research environment to host the support structures of InfraVis.   

In addition to bringing user support from a new recruitment of a full-time InfraVis application expert with her own PhD background and SNIC expertise, the Uppsala node will offer frequent user training with different themes, for example, workshops and short courses by distinguished lecturers. The user training will be given on-site on our new premises at the Ångström Laboratory or on-line on request by the InfraVis users.

© Copyright 2022 Infravis