The CIA Factbook is full of data in tables about the world. Below I downloaded CO2 emissions from 207 world regions and visualized them in Excel and with my prototype software.

Excel 3D Metrics
Excel 3D Metrics

This collection of visualizations is meant to illustrate the untapped power of 3d metric algorithms to turn dimensions, parameters or variables into vertical layers.

By juxtaposing the same data in Excel graphs and 3d metric screenshots, more can be seen:

  • new visual comparisons
  • surprising perspectives
  • interesting correlations.

This leads to new insights, new understanding and new intelligence.

The challenge lies in data experts adding the verbal interpretations into menus for less trained users to process the new data visualizations.

These time series have been taken from the Interactive Statistics site of the Bank of England, relating to public debt.

A Deluge of Data Shapes a New Era in Computing

This is the title of an article in the New York Times. It describes admirably the ‘problem’ that my software methods can help to ’solve’. The article is actually the review of a book called The Fourth Paradigm.

The late Microsoft researcher Dr. Jim Gray said in a speech in January 2007 that the only way to cope with an “exaflood” of observational data was “to manage, visualize and analyse the data flood”. Well, my approach to visualizing multi-dimensional data offers exactly that!

Similarly, Dr. Eric Horvitz, an artificial intelligence researcher for Microsoft says: “My goal now is to develop a new kind of telescope or microscope.” Well, my “software lenses” are exactly that!

Offering a new instrument of observation means increasing our intelligence. Let’s hope that 2010 will be the year in which my three software methods will see the “online light” of a web service.

Today I got the email that accepted my submission to the competition to participate in the Innovation Village of SPIE Photonics Europe.

I consider it “interesting PR” or “PR with a difference”.

Here’s the document that I submitted: Innovation Village

Moving on from the general basic research, where the Director General of CERN suggested that I’m competing with them, I’m now working on a specific solution for one particular company.

This company produces imaging technology that is capable of identifying cells but not tissues. So, instead of RE-visualising their images, we are now going to produce image SEPARATIONS for each tissue.

Live, learn and change your approach – according to the people who come across your way!

Is it getting more exciting or more boring as I fill in yet a few more forms thinking along other people’s templates?

I’ve submitted my application to

  • the MoD’s call on Automated Imagery Exploitation: An Innovative Approach to Automating Image / Video Processing – the Visualisation of Data and Re-Visualisation of Images as Proof of Concepts and Principles

I’ve registered two intentions to submit to the Technology Strategy Board:

  • Testing the feasibility of online image analysis as a new research method and non-destructive testing procedure
  • Using a Web Service for a Generic Approach to Multi-Dimensional Data Visualization as the Basis for Digital Image Re-Visualization and Analysis

I’m applying to the Start-Up Challenge of Amazon Web Services.

I’m applyting to FutureLab’s call for meaningful games.

I’m working on a German funding scheme with the Zukunftsagentur.

Don’t tell me capitalism is working for inventors or innovators! But who said that life would be rose garden???

Progress of my work always takes place either via my own insights into the use of my prototype software, or via turning more of my software concepts into functional code.

www.3dm-images.net contains some 120 original images with their “3dm re-visualizations” to illustrate the step that is necessary before quantifications can be made.

www.3dm-bilder.net is the German equivalent, but with completely different content.

Both sites require user registration. Please send an email to sabine at 3d-metrics.com if you want to contribute or have any questions.

Rathenow is a small town West of Berlin, in the heart of the Havelland, one of the protected regions in Brandenburg.

Rathenow has been called the Town of Optics, since one of its citizens was given the royal privilege of creating an “optical industrial establishment” in 1801. By 1896, 193 optical companies were operational.

The Long Night of Optics on June 6th will bring together 19 companies in the Centre of Culture, which will be connected via an “optical mile” with the Optics Park. The complete programme of activities can be viewed on this flyer in German.

3D Metrics will have a stand next to Askania, the local producer of microscopes, where we’ll show how our “software glasses” can be fitted to microscopic pictures.

A telescopic picture of the moon was derived from a historic telescope that can be visited in the Optics Park. It has been re-visualized by our software as follows:

First photo of the moon taken on March 30th, 2009

First photo of the moon taken on March 30th, 2009

One of the possible re-visualizations

One of the possible re-visualizations

Last night I discovered that the Institute of Physics (IoP) has a London and South East Branch that organises public lectures.

Professor Richard Leach from NPL explained what ‘traceable’ means: linking back to the basic SI units of m / kg / sec. Well, my 3d metrics are conceptually traceable. In practice, they are a scale independent software framework to establish domain-specific qualitative measuring units.

Since I had spoken with him before, he had looked at my site and said that he needs proof that I’m actually ‘measuring’ something. He referred me back to Dr. Nick McCormick who had supplied me with the first image I ever processed.

Sprayed surface

Sprayed surface

Here’s another re-visualization I produced from that image – with ’software vision’ and ‘pixel resolution’:

'Software vision' allows for 'seeing more'

'Software vision' allows for 'seeing more'

At the time, I had only just discovered that I could conceivably use my insights for processing images, for I had talked with Uwe Braun, a German entrepreneur who wanted me to examine possible stains in car varnishings.

Since then I have learned a lot more about the connections between the physics of microscopes, the digitisation of images and visualization the capabilities of my prototype software.

Since Richard suggested I talk to Nick again who had given me the first image at the time, I now produced a systematic sequence of re-visualizations that hopefully shows ‘in a nutshell’ what I have to offer.

Yesterday I attended a workshop that was designed to form consortia to access a European money pot via the Technology Strategy Board. I wrote about it on this website in progress, but this may be deleted soon.

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