Mapping Information onto 3D Virtual Worlds

This paper presents a strategy for automatically mapping information onto visual parameters in the field of three-dimensional (3D) information visualization. The work presented here is done in the context of researching how 3D information visualization may help when trying to visualize large volumes of dynamic data. The application field within which this work has been conducted is using 3D information visualization for network monitoring and management. Nonetheless, the framework and mapping strategy is application domain independent. In this paper we focus on the process of automatically mapping data values onto graphical parameters, in order to construct 3D virtual worlds that convey network data for network monitoring and management. We present the criteria that are used to find the best mapping and the strategy taken to implement those criteria. We describe our use of visual metaphors and the graphical components that we utilize and we give some examples of different mappings.