Research

Information visualization is a mediator between humans and machines – it makes data readable for humans and provides an interface to use the machine. In this role, in addition to own contributions, the discipline also integrates various computer science techniques and makes them available. The research group carries out basic research developing new visualization techniques and investigates interactive visual analysis systems for various applications. Usability and comprehensibility of the visualizations are always considered, as well as transparency of data processing.

Research Projects

Bamberg Data Stories (Smart City Bamberg)

Localized and Personalized Visual Storytelling for Public Geodata Comparing Different Modes of Presentation

Funded by: Smart City Bamberg as part of the Smart City Research Lab

Funding period: 2023–2026

Project announcement

CoCo (DFG)

Comparative and Collaborative Visual Analysis of Clustering and Co-clustering Ensembles

Funded by: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) in collaboration with Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR, Luxemburg)

Funding period: 2023–2026

Project announcement

vgiReports (DFG)

Accessible Reporting of Spatiotemporal Geographic Information Leveraging Generated Text and Visualization

Funded by: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) within Priority Programme 1894 "Volunteered Geographic Information"

Funding period: 2019–2024

Project page

Previous Projects

vgiReports: Accessible Reporting of Spatiotemporal Geographic Information Leveraging Generated Text and Visualization; DFG, 2019-2024
Comparative Analysis of Dynamic Networks Combining Statistical and Visual Methods; MERCUR, 2020-2023
SoftwareDynamics?: Fine-Grained Evolution of Software Behavior; DFG, 2017-2022
Vis-Text Interaction: Interactive Links of Information Visualizations and Texts; Baden-Württemberg Stiftung, 2015-2019

Research Areas and Selected Contributions

Expressive Visual Encodings

We explore expressive visualization of complex and dynamic processes and behaviors. In doing so, we develop basic information visualization techniques that integrate different data representations. Examples include dynamic graphs and set structures, timeline-based event visualization, and visual comparison techniques.

Talk: Understanding Complex Behavior

ICG Lab Talk Series, Fabian Beck and Shivam Agarwal, University of Linz, April 26, 2023

Video

Visualization Technique: Double Trees

Abstracting and comparing event sequences as trees

Video | Paper

Visualization Technique: Set Streams

Overlapping sets of objects that evolve

Demo | Paper | Talk

State-of-the-art Report: Dynamic Graph Visualization

A systematic overview of approaches for dynamic graph visualization

? Highly cited

Paper | Literature Browser

Explanatory Visual Reporting

We create explanatory combinations of text or language and visualization, and thereby generate interactive reporting solutions. In addition to interactive documents, narrative visualizations in virtual reality can be created. Use cases range from professional scenarios in software development to the communication of geographic data to a broad audience.

Comparing Hotel Reviews: ViSCitR

Personalized visual comparison of hotel options as interactive reports

Demo | Paper(4.3 MB)

Talk: Aus Daten werden interaktive Geschichten (de)

Smart City Lecture Series, Fabian Beck, University of Bamberg, Feb. 8, 2024

Video (de)

Concept: Talking Realities

Audio guides for visualizations in virtual reality

? 2022 CG&A Best Paper

Paper | Video

Talk: Selbsterkl?rende visuelle Datenrepr?sentationen (de)

Inaugural lecture, Fabian Beck, University of Bamberg, June 16, 2022

Video (de)

Authoring System: Kori

Assisted linking of text and visualization in interactive documents

Paper

Reporting Solution: VIS Author Profiles

Automatically generated profiles of academic authors

Demo | Paper

Enabling Visual Analytics

We develop visual analysis methods that enable reasoning through comparative representation and interactive editing and abstraction. The methods use advanced algorithmic solutions and consider mentioned aspects of meaningful and explanatory visual representations of information. The developed solutions help experts and professional users to explore and understand complex data.