Step 3 Interactive Visualisation

Step 3 involves producing interactive visualisations that make use of different ways of visualising the same information. This was made possible by use of the ontology in Step 1 and

interpretation/translation of the ontology in step 2. This also enabled use of colour coding to show different types of information.

Figure 4533 shows the spar volume calculation uploaded to the web. This illustrates that an ontology defined in Step 1, has had calculation and translation performed in Step 2 and can now be visualised in Step 3.

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Figure 45. Spar Volume calculation model running on the web

This approach to colour coding, of illustrating type with colour, is related to this work on using colour to indicate cost, time, and uncertainty (Bru et al., 2002), (Bru et al., 2003), (Bru et al., 2004). The need for sophisticated visualisation, and tools such as developed in this thesis (and that of Bru) became apparent when models such as the wingbox spreadsheet delivered volumes of information, which could not be easily absorbed and analysed in their textual form. The research in this thesis focuses on colour coding for indication of knowledge/information type, such as distinguishing between parts, processes, materials cost rates etc and illustrating which of these items are used in each calculation. Brus’ work concentrates on using colour, size, and shape to illustrate cost, time, and uncertainty. Both approaches were used in combination within the DATUM project (Scanlan, 2006). The information visualisation for this thesis is compatible with a wide range of standard formats, thus allowing it to accept input from numerous tools and ontologies. The information is then further translated to various formats including XML and SVG for web visualisation and information exchange. This is shown in Figure 46 where XML is used to exchange information with a web page that is then able to colour code this information, display it and let the user interact with it.

Figure 46. Web page showing translated XML displayed as interactive web application Figure 47 demonstrates the ontology translated via Step 2 into XML for Step 3 visualisation in Flash34. This creates a tree with a three dimensional look, colour and shading, and interactive repositioning of nodes to make it intuitive and assist in navigation. When a node is chosen, this is moved to the centre of the display and all the other nodes are moved or rotated to position themselves in relation to it.

34 _{Rhodes, G., Macdonald, J., Jokol, K., Prudence, P., Aylward, P., Shepherd, R., Yard, T., 2002. A} Flash Family Tree, In: Flash MX Application and Interface Design Flash MX Application and

Step 3 - Code written in Vanguard System translates from this to Semantic Web code for Visualisation.

Recursive translator reads model and writes tree to other

Figure 47. Flash interface for navigating exported XML tree

Figure 48 shows the view resulting from choosing the ‘SparPart Definition’. This shows the parents, children, siblings, and contents of that node. It also allows navigation to any of the related nodes.

Figure 48. Flash viewing of Spar Part Definition node

6.5.3.1 Step 3 - CAD Style Interactive Visualisation

If attributes are provided in Step 1 or 2 it is possible to translate the tree representation into a dynamic CAD type representation for Step 3. This information allows the system to decide where to draw the lines to represent the attributes of the component. These attributes can then be changed by the user in an interactive CAD type representation that allows for visualisation of the component and its attributes. This capability can be used for enabling better understanding of a component’s attributes/properties, and for modelling and calculation.

Figure 4935 below is produced via an automated conversion from a tree representation of the spar component. The interface demonstrates modelling of information within a browser; ‘Periphery’, ‘Area’, ‘Raw Volume’, ‘Finished Volume’, ‘Part Width’ and ‘Part Height’ are all calculated dynamically. This calculation is in response to changes the user makes to the attributes on the left; as these changes are made the diagram changes in response. It would also be possible to reverse the translation by taking this interface and converting it to a tree or graph representation of the component.

Figure 49. Interactive Spar Diagram (SVG)

Figure 49 was created from a tree based ‘analogical’ (Guibert et al., 2004) representation, translated to a view that used a CAD based analogy, and could also be translated back to the tree representation, and to a ‘fregean’ representation that is required for computer code.

6.5.3.2 Translation to Program/Meta-Program Code

This stepped translation methodology can also be used for translation from ontologies to program and meta-program code in various languages.

Figure 50. Translation from decision tree into Java This can also be created and visualised as a Java web applet; Figure 51 shows this :-

A translation into the Java based Cost Estimator System36 was also created. This is an example of translating to an external application; Figure 52 illustrates this :-

Figure 52. Translation from decision tree to Cost Estimator

Translations were also made into Meta-Programming languages, but further research is needed to automatically create software from these Meta-Programs; this is explained in 8.2.4.