Distributed and Collaborative Visualization

Visualization is a powerful tool for analyzing data and presenting results in science, engineering and medicine. This paper reviews ways in which it can be used in distributed and/or collaborative environments. Distributed visualization addresses a number of resource allocation problems, including the location of processing close to data for the minimization of data traffic. The advent of the Grid Computing paradigm and the link to Web Services provides fresh challenges and opportunities for distributed visualization—including the close coupling of simulations and visualizations in a steering environment. Recent developments in collaboration have seen the growth of specialized facilities (such as Access Grid) which have supplemented traditional desktop video conferencing using the Internet and multicast communications. Collaboration allows multiple users—possibly at remote sites—to take part in the visualization process at levels which range from the viewing of images to the shared control of the visualization methods. In this review, we present a model framework for distributed and collaborative visualization and assess a selection of visualization systems and frameworks for their use in a distributed or collaborative environment. We also discuss some examples of enabling technology and review recent work from research projects in this field.