Acquisition, representation, query and analysis of spatial data: a demonstration 3D digital library

The increasing power of techniques to model complex geometry and extract meaning from 3D information create complex data that must be described, stored, and displayed to be useful to researchers. Responding to the limitations of two-dimensional (2D) data representations perceived by discipline scientists, the Partnership for Research in Spatial Modeling (PRISM) project at Arizona State University (ASU) developed modeling and analytic tools that raise the level of abstraction and add semantic value to 3D data. The goals are to improve scientific communication, and to assist in generating new knowledge, particularly for natural objects whose asymmetry limit study using 2D representations. The tools simplify analysis of surface and volume using curvature and topology to help researchers understand and interact with 3D data. The tools produced automatically extract information about features and regions of interest to researchers, calculate quantifiable, replicable metric data, and generate metadata about the object being studied. To help researchers interact with the information, the project developed prototype interactive, sketch-based interfaces that permit researchers to remotely search, identify and interact with the detailed, highly accurate 3D models of the objects. The results support comparative analysis of contextual and spatial information, and extend research about asymmetric man-made and natural objects.