Computational Visualistics is an interdisciplinary field focused on the use of computers to generate and analyze images, upon which is usually directly implicated for the large language models that become discussed inside Artificial Intelligence Research.

Areas covered

In the study of images within computer science, the abstract

data type In computer science and computer programming, a data type (or simply type) is a collection or grouping of data values, usually specified by a set of possible values, a set of allowed operations on these values, and/or a representation of these ...

"image" (or potentially several such types) is a central focus, along with its various implementations. Three main groups of

algorithms In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm () is a finite sequence of mathematically rigorous instructions, typically used to solve a class of specific problems or to perform a computation. Algorithms are used as specifications for per ...

are relevant to this data type in computational visualistics:

Algorithms from "image" to "image"

Algorithms from "image" to "image" involve

image processing An image or picture is a visual representation. An image can be two-dimensional, such as a drawing, painting, or photograph, or three-dimensional, such as a carving or sculpture. Images may be displayed through other media, including a pr ...

, which focuses on operations that convert one or more input images, possibly with additional non-image parameters, into an output image. These operations support various applications, including enhancing image quality through techniques like contrast enhancement, extracting features such as

edge detection Edge or EDGE may refer to: Technology Computing * Edge computing, a network load-balancing system * Edge device, an entry point to a computer network * Adobe Edge, a graphical development application * Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed b ...

, and identifying and isolating patterns based on predefined criteria, such as the blue screen technique. The field also encompasses the development of

compression algorithms In information theory, data compression, source coding, or bit-rate reduction is the process of encoding information using fewer bits than the original representation. Any particular compression is either lossy or lossless. Lossless compressio ...

, crucial for the efficient storage and transmission of image data.

Algorithms from "image" to "not-image"

Two disciplines focus on transforming images into non-pictorial data. The field of

pattern recognition Pattern recognition is the task of assigning a class to an observation based on patterns extracted from data. While similar, pattern recognition (PR) is not to be confused with pattern machines (PM) which may possess PR capabilities but their p ...

, although not limited to images, has made significant contributions to computational visualistics since the early 1950s. This work includes classifying information within images, such as identifying geometric shapes (e.g., circular regions), recognizing handwritten text, detecting spatial objects, and associating stylistic attributes. The goal is to map images to non-pictorial data types that describe various aspects of the images. In contrast,

computer vision Computer vision tasks include methods for image sensor, acquiring, Image processing, processing, Image analysis, analyzing, and understanding digital images, and extraction of high-dimensional data from the real world in order to produce numerical ...

, a branch of

artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...

(AI), aims to enable computers to achieve visual

perception Perception () is the organization, identification, and interpretation of sensory information in order to represent and understand the presented information or environment. All perception involves signals that go through the nervous syste ...

akin to human vision. Problems in computer vision are considered semantic when their objectives closely align with human-like understanding of objects within images.

Algorithms from "not-image" to "image"

The exploration of how operations involving non-pictorial data types can generate images is particularly relevant in

computer graphics Computer graphics deals with generating images and art with the aid of computers. Computer graphics is a core technology in digital photography, film, video games, digital art, cell phone and computer displays, and many specialized applications. ...

and

information visualization Data and information visualization (data viz/vis or info viz/vis) is the practice of designing and creating Graphics, graphic or visual Representation (arts), representations of a large amount of complex quantitative and qualitative data and i ...

. Computer graphics focuses on creating images that represent spatial configurations of objects, often in a naturalistic manner, such as in virtual architecture. These image-generating algorithms typically start with data describing three-dimensional geometry and scene lighting, along with the optical properties of surfaces. In contrast, information visualization aims to depict various data types, especially those with non-visual components, using visual conventions such as color codes or icons. Fractal images, such as those of the

Mandelbrot set The Mandelbrot set () is a two-dimensional set (mathematics), set that is defined in the complex plane as the complex numbers c for which the function f_c(z)=z^2+c does not Stability theory, diverge to infinity when Iteration, iterated starting ...

, represent a borderline case in information visualization, where abstract mathematical properties are visualized.

Computational visualistics degree programmes

The field of computational visualistics was established at the

University of Magdeburg The Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg () (Short: ''OVGU'') is a public research university founded in 1993 and is located in Magdeburg, the Capital city of Saxony-Anhalt. The university has about 13,000 students in nine faculties. The uni ...

, Germany, in the fall of 1996. Initiated by Thomas Strothotte, a professor of computer graphics, and supported by Jörg Schirra and a team of interdisciplinary researchers from social, technical sciences, and medicine, the program focuses on the application of computer science to image-related problems. The five-year diploma program emphasizes core computer science courses, including digital methods and electronic tools, and integrates courses on the use of images in the humanities. Students also develop communicative skills and apply their knowledge in practical areas such as biology and medicine, particularly in fields involving digital image data like microscopy and radiology. Bachelor’s and Master’s programs were introduced in 2006. The

University of Koblenz The University of Koblenz (German ''Universität Koblenz'') is a university in Koblenz. The university was created on January 1, 2023, through the restructuring of the Rhineland-Palatinate universities by the state authority; the former Univ ...

features a similar degree program.

References

External links

Computational visualistics (degree programme at Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany)

Computervisualistik (degree programme at the University Koblenz-Landau, Germany)

Computational science