Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2025

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[J] Oral

M (Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary) » M-GI General Geosciences, Information Geosciences & Simulations

[M-GI31] Earth and planetary informatics and data utilization

Tue. May 27, 2025 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM Convention Hall (CH-A) (International Conference Hall, Makuhari Messe)

convener:Susumu Nonogaki(Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology), Ken T. Murata(National Institute of Information and Communications Technology), Keiichiro Fukazawa(Research Institute for Humanity and Nature), Yukari Kido(Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology), Chairperson:Susumu Nonogaki(Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology), Ken T. Murata(National Institute of Information and Communications Technology)

11:45 AM - 12:00 PM

[MGI31-10] Development of the Visualization Framework "VisAssets" for XR Devices and Construction of Visualization Applications

*Shintaro Kawahara1, Hideo Miyachi2 (1.Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2.Tokyo City University)

Keywords:Scientific Visualization, Extended Reality, Computer Graphics, Application Development

Scientific visualization using computer graphics is an effective method for enhancing the understanding of various phenomena in numerical data obtained through simulations and observations. In particular, presenting visualization results as stereoscopic images using virtual reality (VR) technology is a powerful tool for users to understand complex three-dimensional structures intuitively. Traditionally, such visualization required expensive and large-scale devices, such as CAVE systems. However, with the emergence and rapid proliferation of low-cost head-mounted display (HMD) devices, these technologies have become easily accessible. In recent years, standalone HMDs that do not require a PC connection have also emerged. However, most of these devices adopt Android-based operating systems, posing a problem where existing software assets developed using C++ and graphics libraries for graphics workstations running UNIX-based OSs or Windows can no longer be utilized. To address this issue, we have developed a visualization framework called "VisAssets" using the Unity game engine. VisAssets modularizes various elements that constitute the visualization workflow, including data loading, filtering (extracting scalar or vector fields from a dataset, downscaling input data), and mapping (color slices, isosurface generation, vector field representation using arrows, and streamline rendering). Additionally, it provides a user interface for controlling these components. By connecting the necessary modules in a tree structure, users can develop visualization applications in a no-code manner. Furthermore, Unity's multi-platform support enables the development of visualization applications for HMDs, Android-based smartphones, Windows, and macOS within a unified development environment. In this presentation, we introduce an overview of VisAssets and report case studies of visualization applications built with VisAssets running on various XR devices.