Adapting a single-user, single-display molecular visualization application for use in a multi-user, multi-display environment

  • Authors:
  • Clifton Forlines;Ryan Lilien

  • Affiliations:
  • University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada and Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs, Cambridge, MA;University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

  • Venue:
  • AVI '08 Proceedings of the working conference on Advanced visual interfaces
  • Year:
  • 2008

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Abstract

In this paper, we discuss the adaptation of an open-source single-user, single-display molecular visualization application for use in a multi-display, multi-user environment. Jmol, a popular, open-source Java applet for viewing PDB files, is modified in such a manner that allows synchronized coordinated views of the same molecule to be displayed in a multi-display workspace. Each display in the workspace is driven by a separate PC, and coordinated views are achieved through the passing of RasMol script commands over the network. The environment includes a tabletop display capable of sensing touch-input, two large vertical displays, and a TabletPC. The presentation of large molecules is adapted to best take advantage of the different qualities of each display, and a set of interaction techniques that allow groups working in this environment to better collaborate are also presented.