X-Space: A Tool for Extending Mixed Reality Space from Web2D Visualization Anywhere

Abstract

Mixed reality provides a greater visualization space and more intuitive means of interaction for data exploration. Numbers of works have focused on combining 2D visualizations with mixed reality. However, for a 2D visualization, it needs to implement a mixed reality 3D space on its own, and it is a challenge to build a mixed reality space for 2D visualization conveniently. Furthermore, it is also a challenge to provide mixed reality 3D space for many existing Web-based 2D visualizations. This paper presents X-Space, a tool based on HoloLens and Web bookmarks. It can extend Web2D visualizations into mixed reality 3D space anywhere and anytime. X-Space captures data bound in 2D visualizations, deconstructs them into a data stream, and then transfers them to mixed reality 3D space by freehand interaction. In addition, we equipped X-Space with a data API for existing tools for constructing 3D visualization. We show a series of cases to demonstrate the capabilities of X-Space. In the end, we discussed the current limitations of X-Space and future work.