Developing a Global Repository and Showplace for Imagery Data

• Authors: Ann Smith;Min Chen;Mike Webster
• Venue: TPCG '03 Proceedings of the Theory and Practice of Computer Graphics 2003
• Year: 2003

This paper describes the development of a web servicethat provides a 3D (VRML) virtual environment forautomated management and exhibition of imagery data.With this service, users can upload imagery data (such asimages, videos and presentations) through a webbrowser, and the data will be automatically placed intovirtual galleries, cinemas and studios. The environmentmodifies itself dynamically to accommodate addition anddeletion of imagery data. The service empowers ordinaryusers to utilise the Internet as a global data repositoryand showplace and provides an intuitive and stimulatingway to visualise and explore large volumes of imagerydata. It removes the burden of non-trivial management oflarge volumes of data, including ontological organisationof users files and geometrical design of the virtualenvironment. The service also introduces severalinteresting and useful metaphors, such as virtual archivesand space-warp tram that cohere with the imagery world.