A unified and coherent introduction to the notion of abstraction in interactive computer graphics is provided by this book. Abstraction entails refinement of images based on geometric models so as to reflect the importance of the features of the model for the dialog context and the visualization goal. This may require leaving out irrelevant details or accentuating significant features by adding details or enlarging or deforming parts. Such modifications are routine by hand but are at the leading edge of research in 2D and 3D computer graphics. The authors see the abstraction process as an interactive exploration of complex information spaces, and report especially on zooming and rendering techniques. Benefits are discussed for applications in medical illustration and technical documentation.

In April, 2003 representatives of a group of mostly German research universities offering degree programs in the areas of Computational Visualistics and Media Informatics met for the first time in Magdeburg, Germany. This volume collects information on their views of their own degree and research programs as a starting point for discussions.

Even as developments in photorealistic computer graphics continue to affect our work and leisure activities, practitioners and researchers are devoting more and more attention to non-photorealistic (NPR) techniques for generating images that appear to have been created by hand. These efforts benefit every field in which illustrations thanks to their ability to clarify, emphasize, and convey very precise meanings offer advantages over photographs. These fields include medicine, architecture, entertainment, education, geography, publishing, and visualization.
Non-Photorealistic Computer Graphics is the first and only resource to examine non-photorealistic efforts in depth, providing detailed accounts of the major algorithms, as well as the background information and implementation advice readers need to make headway with these increasingly important techniques.
Already, an estimated 10% of computer graphics users require some form of non-photorealism. Strothotte and Schlechtweg's important new book is designed and destined to be the standard NPR reference for this large, diverse, and growing group of professionals.
*Hard-to-find information needed by a wide range and growing number of computer graphics programmers and applications users.
*Traces NPR principles and techniques back to their origins in human vision and perception.
*Focuses on areas that stand to benefit most from advances in NPR, including medical and architectural illustration, cartography, and data visualization.
*Presents algorithms for two and three-dimensional effects, using pseudo-code where needed to clarify complex steps.
*Helps readers attain pen-and-ink, pencil-sketch, and painterly effects, in addition to other styles.
*Explores specific challenges for NPR including "wrong" marks, deformation, natural media, artistic technique, lighting, and dimensionality.
*Includes a series of programming projects in which readers can apply the book's concepts and algorithms."

This practical and informative book highlights the relationship between pictures and linguistic representations of information. The authors define a new classification for pictures that focuses on the tasks users carry out with the help of images on computer screens, and present a model for analyzing and influencing the flow of information. For specialists in computer science, the book bridges the gap between computer graphics and human-computer interaction, while for general readers, it offers a wealth of insights and practical advice on how to use pictures as a medium of communication.

Dieses Buch ist eine Sammlung von Aufs{tzen zur Mensch-Computer-Kommunikation, zu ihren Methoden und Werkzeugen, ihrem Einsatz in der Praxis, insbesondere ihrer Bedeutung f}r die Software-Erstellung, und ihren wesentlichen Entwicklungstrends. Die Beitr{gereichen von Erfahrungsberichten und Bestandsaufnahmen bis hin zu detaillierten Analysen des Zusammenhangs von MCK mit anderen Wissenschaftsdisziplinen. MCK stellt sich als Forschungsgebiet dar, das mit anderen Gebieten in Wechselwirkung steht und in unterschiedlichen Anwendungsfeldern relevant ist. Den Kern des Buches bilden Beitr{ge zum Entwurf und zur Evaluation von Benutzungsschnittstellen.Einen weiteren Schwerpunkt stellen Beitr{ge zu wissensbasierten Methoden dar; sie beschreiben und bewerten unterschiedliche Ans{tze, dieInteraktion mit dem Computer flexibler, ihn intelligenter zu machen. Einen dritten Schwerpunkt bilden Beitr{ge }ber spezielle Anwendungen und Anwendungsbereiche (z.B. Medizin, Behinderte, Schule). Dar}ber hinaus wird in zwei grundlegenden Beitr{gen die Entwicklung der zugeh-rigen Paradigmen diskutiert. Das Werk ist Prof. Dr. Rul Gunzenh{user, Universit{t Stuttgart, gewidmet f}r seine Verdienste, die Mensch-Maschine-Kommunikation in Deutschland als Wissenschaftsdisziplin zu etablieren.