UNRAVELING THE WEB: Visual interfaces can help, Hanrahan says. Linda A. Cicero

The University has been chosen to open the first regional center focused on turning masses of data into visual interfaces that could help thwart terrorist threats to the United States.

The Regional Visualization and Analytics Center will serve as an arm of a national center based in Richland, Wash., which is part of the Department of Homeland Security. Stanford won a competitive contract for the center in February.

Visual analytics are the computer era’s version of a map—a representation of more abstract data. They “help to detect the expected and discover the unexpected,” says Jim Thomas, the director of the national center.

Detecting threats early, figuring out where the country is most vulnerable and making sure first responders are ready to go requires the analysis of enormous, dynamic and complex streams of information. These streams may include text documents, e-mails, measurements, images and video. Proponents say visual analytics tools offer the best opportunity for analysts and researchers to make sense of information efficiently and effectively. They make it easier to uncover hidden associations that can help law enforcement prevent terrorist attacks.

“In all aspects of our lives, we deal with large collections of data and information,” says computer science professor Pat Hanrahan, one of the center’s principal investigators. “Interactive visual interfaces are the most promising technology to help us analyze this information.”

The multidisciplinary team of researchers also includes representatives from psychology and the University’s computer graphics lab.

The group will focus on three primary tasks: analyzing computer network traffic for hints of intrusions such as viruses; performing psychological experiments to understand the usefulness of different representations of space and time; and improving graphical representations so associations between entities can be more clearly identified.

Stanford’s efforts also will serve as a model as the government seeks to establish other regional centers at other universities later this year.

RETURN TO TOP