Abstract

‘Growth’ is a short film created as a result of a multidisciplinary collaboration between artists and scientists from the University of Dundee. The author worked with mathematicians to investigate how techniques and technologies used in 3D computer animation and visual effects industries might support the enhanced visualisation of predictive mathematical modelling of solid tumour growth. This paper will discuss the practical and artistic processes of this visualisation research, including the technical innovations required in undertaking this work – such as the creation of custom tools for ‘reading’ data, or the addition of stereoscopic output. By transforming numerical data into three-dimensional ‘objects’, artists can provide new ways of ‘seeing’ information and identifying patterns or results. Developing visualisation techniques can be used to improve the communication of cancer growth to patients (by increasing patient understanding and relieving their fears) through the use of new and innovative visual material.

Highlights

  • Cancer is one of the major causes of death in the world, with around 14 million people diagnosed and around 8 million people dying each year in 2012

  • Between 2009 and 2014, a large-scale European Commission funded project was undertaken by the University of Dundee’s Division of Mathematics, titled ‘From Mutations to Metastases: Multiscale Mathematical Modelling of Cancer Growth and Spread’. The aim of this project was to “develop quantitative, predictive mathematical models of solid tumour growth which can be used in planning patient-specific treatment protocols such as chemotherapy, surgery and radio therapy” (European Commission, 2015)

  • As part of this larger funded project, the mathematicians were interested in visualising the data they were producing as a result of their predictive modelling

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Summary

INTRODUCTION

Cancer is one of the major causes of death in the world ( the developed world), with around 14 million people diagnosed and around 8 million people dying each year in 2012. Between 2009 and 2014, a large-scale European Commission funded project was undertaken by the University of Dundee’s Division of Mathematics, titled ‘From Mutations to Metastases: Multiscale Mathematical Modelling of Cancer Growth and Spread’ (or M5CGS) The aim of this project was to “develop quantitative, predictive mathematical models of solid tumour growth which can be used in planning patient-specific treatment protocols such as chemotherapy, surgery and radio therapy” (European Commission, 2015). As part of this larger funded project, the mathematicians were interested in visualising the data they were producing as a result of their predictive modelling. Growth: Visualisation of predictive mathematical models using 3D computer graphics and animation Dylan Gauld insight on visualisation-related problems or future work that could be undertaken

BACKGROUND
Interdisciplinary teams
Design Research
Stages of visualisation
DATA VISUALISATION
Existing mathematical visualisation
Scripting and Particles
Visual development
Rendering and Compositing
Anaglyph stereoscopy
REFLECTION
10. REFERENCES
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Full Text
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