Abstract
In the era of Big Data, with the increasing use of large-scale data-driven applications, visualization of very large high-resolution images and extracting useful information (searching for specific targets or rare signal events) from these images can pose challenges to the current display wall technologies. At Bellarmine University, we have set up an Advanced Visualization and Computational Lab using a state-of-the-art next generation display wall technology, called Hiperwall (Highly Interactive Parallelized Display Wall). The 16 ft times 4.5 ft Hiperwall visualization system has a total resolution of 16.5 Megapixels (MP) which consists of eight display-tiles that are arranged in a 4times 2 tile configuration. Using Hiperwall, we can perform interactive visual data analytics of large images by conducting comparative views of multiple large images in Astronomy and multiple event displays in experimental High Energy Physics. Users can display a single large image across all the display-tiles, or view many different images simultaneously on multiple display-tiles. Hiperwall enables simultaneous visualization of multiple high resolution images and its contents on the entire display wall without loss of clarity and resolution. Hiperwall’s middleware also allows researchers in geographically diverse locations to collaborate on large scientific experiments. In this paper we will provide a description of a new generation of display wall setup at Bellarmine University that is based on the Hiperwall technology, which is a robust visualization system for Big Data research.
Highlights
One of the greatest scientific challenges of the 21st century is to understand the plethora of information from the various Big Data sources
Display wall cost benefit analysis In the US, planar-tiled projected displays were first built in the 1990s at Princeton University and at Argonne National Laboratory [25]
The first screen display, called PowerWall was built in 1994 at the University of Minnesota in collaboration with Silicon Graphics as a single 6′ × 8′ screen illuminated from the rear by a 2 × 2 matrix of video projectors that were driven by 4 RealityEngine2 graphics engines [36]
Summary
One of the greatest scientific challenges of the 21st century is to understand the plethora of information from the various Big Data sources. Finding new information and patterns in Big Data is the current imperative [1]. The amount of data from large scientific instruments as well as the resolution of large images are increasing which creates visualization challenges that require a larger viewing area to capture the details [2]. Visualizing multidimensional, time-varying data sets is both a challenge to the computational infrastructure and to the current display wall technologies. Large tiled-display walls are enabling a new era in large-scale visualization and scientific explorations, for the various research and scientific communities.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
