Approaches to uncertainty visualization

Abstract

Visualized data often have dubious origins and quality. Different forms of uncertainty and errors are also introduced as the data are derived, transformed, interpolated, and finally rendered. This paper surveys uncertainty visualization techniques that present data so that users are made aware of the locations and degree of uncertainties in their data. The techniques include adding glyphs, adding geometry, modifying geometry, modifying attributes, animation, sonification, and psychovisual approaches. We present our results in uncertainty visualization for environmental visualization, surface interpolation, global illumination with radiosity, flow visualization, and figure animation. We also present a classification of the possibilities in uncertainty visualization and locate our contributions within this classification.