Augmented Reality Graph Visualizations

3D Node-link diagrams are an important class of visualization for immersive analysis. Yet, there is little knowledge on how to design them to support efficient analysis. In two user studies we examined the design space for edge styles in Augmented Reality graph visualization.

Table of Contents

1. Summary
2. Link Attributes for Network Visualization
3. Visual Styles in 3D Node-Link Diagrams
4. Related Publications
5. Related Student Theses

Summary

Augmented Reality (AR) technologies can provide immersive, stereoscopic experiences in 3D without losing the connection to the environment or other people. Thus, it has a strong potential for collaboration among experts while integrating real world environments and virtual content. With new, complex AR systems for use cases such as maintenance assistance or cyber physical production systems, the need to visualize relations between both real objects and virtual parts of the AR scene will increase. Examples for such relations are computer networks integrated into the environment, information flows in a smart home, and many more. Typically, they are visualized as 3D node-link diagrams. However, as of yet, there has been little research on how to design immersive AR node-link visualizations. In this project we focus on how to design visualizations for edges specifically. So far, we conducted two studies in which we examined which visual variables are most suitable and how different edge styles perform compared to each other.

Link Attributes for Network Visualization

One specific use case of immersive 3D node-link diagrams is the visualization of network connections and their edge attributes, e. g., to show link capacity or connectivity in LAN or IoT networks. So far, however, there has been very little research on which visual variables to use. We implemented eight link variants and report on the findings of an initial study in which we compared these different visual variables for edge attributes in 3D AR node-link diagrams. The variants/edge styles that we compared in our study were color, geometric primitives, curvature, stippling patterns, blinking, alternating stippling, animated stippling, and animated segments.

Study Results

Visual Styles in 3D Node-Link Diagrams

In a second study, we examined edge variants for immersive 3D node-link diagrams in more detail. Based on a review of the design space for such edge styles and considering the results from our initial study, we conducted two independent, controlled lab experiments. In the first experiment, we examined undirected edges, in the second we concentrated on directed edges. We decided for geometry as a dominant factor in the edge design and tested six different variants including straight, curved, and stippled/dashed as undirected variants and animated, glyph-based, and tapered edges as directed styles.

Study Results