National Visualization and Analytics Center

 

Challenges and Directions in Visual Analytics

Visual analytics brings together powerful data analytics capabilities and interactive visualizations to create analysis environments that address a wide range of analytical challenges. Inherent in visual analytics are the concepts of large complex data and a “human in the loop”. Many times these are competing needs since as data gets larger and more complex it can get more difficult to keep sufficient interaction for continuous human involvement. This talk will look at many of the current research topics such as information fusion and signature development. I will also discuss some of the key challenges that must be addressed as we continue to advance the state of visual analytics.

Bio:
Throughout his career, Dr. May has focused on designing new technologies and protocols to generate and interact with complex, massive data sets. Over the course of his career, Dr. May has conducted research in video and image processing, information visualization, virtual and mixed reality, and visual analytics. In the early 1990s, he transitioned his research from visualizing science to interacting with the visualizations, to better understand the complex nature of the problems being studied. This new focus led to research in both the logical and physical aspects of interacting with electronic information and eventually to looking at analytical processes and visual analytics. As Director for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s National Visualization and Analytics Center (NVAC), Dr. May manages both research and development projects and the outreach programs to government, industry, and academia. He develops opportunities to transfer technologies to meet the needs of a wide range of user communities including regional preparedness experts, national defense, and national security.