In the late summer of 2003, while enjoying a beautiful scenery of Geneva
and of CERN Institute from the Swiss Alps, author of the Visual Data
Synthesis Technology concept was inspired with an idea of applying
advantages and wide spread use of HTTP protocol to a task of creating
visual images from data derived from different physical and/or logical
entities.
Followed by months of exhausting deliberations and sleepless nights and
with the backing of extensive experience in Web database access
technology, author was able to devise, rethink and refine a set of
abstract algorithms for implementation of a technology that at times
seemed scary with its futuristic flavor and endless possibilities.
Late in November 2003, having decided to put pen to paper, author began
an ongoing process of system components definition, documenting possible
application usages, and charting diagrams of numerous subsystems necessary
for future growth and technological functionality.
The system was assigned a name D-MAP, Data-Mapping, for simplicity’s sake.
D-MAP provides for retrieval of numeric, text or binary data from any
number of information providers and synthesizing processed information
into visual format easily recognizable by Internet user. As seemingly
most practical and intriguing aspect of D-MAP potential, author’s efforts
have been focused on devising a structural foundation for creation of a
Virtual Earth Model.
VEM’s intention is to enable Internet access to a comprehensive database
containing information on geography, history, culture, demography, ecology,
infrastructure, current events and other information and, with the backing
of most advanced techniques for information search and retrieval, enabling
for instant visual representation of sought data.
As a most commonly used example, world map view may contain spots where
current news events are taking place. Being 100% Web based means not only
easy access from an Internet-enabled terminal, but also that a number of
independent data-providers may simultaneously participate in news event
updates.
The world map view image is not a static picture, but a matrix synthesized
from independently functioning, “live” objects parameters and behavioral
specifics of which are defined at a data-provider level. This way, events
concerning security or international stability and peace, for example, are
treated and coded differently than events of local cultural significance as
well as that those groups of events may be derived from entirely different
physical and/or logical entities.
With data-indexing facilities available today, it will eventually become
possible to track and analyze dependencies between different groups of events
and back conducted analysis with numerous other publicly available as well
as unavailable data.
Although no groundbreaking discovery is made in such proposition, with the
structural simplicity, ease of access, technical transparency, and
technological advantages of underlying mechanisms, whose benefits may not
become obvious for many years to come, success of D-MAP would ensure rapid
move toward a future where masses of incomprehensibly entangled data become
available at a touch of a button and are presented in visual format, which
is the only natural way for a human eye to see and mind to imagine.
1.2004
