Engineering Faculty Document No. 2-03

September 12, 2003

Page 1 of 2

TO:                 The Engineering Faculty

FROM:           The Faculty of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

RE:                 New Dual-Level Course

            The faculty of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering has approved the following new course. This action is now submitted to the Engineering Faculty with a recommendation for approval.

ECE 517         Visualization Techniques

Sem. 1. Class 3, cr. 3. (Offered in alternate years.)

Prerequisites:  ECE 368 and ECE 369.

Topics in and algorithms for visualization: scientific visualization, medical visualization, information visualization, and volume rendering techniques. Fundamental algorithms, advanced techniques, design criteria, and application specific issues will be explored.

Reason:   

Visualization has become a fundamental tool for engineering and science. This course will prepare computer engineering students, as well as engineering and science students to effectively use, evaluate, design, and develop visualizations and visualization software. Computer graphics and visualization are important, fundamental components of modern computer engineering. Therefore, we need this course to educate our students on the basic algorithms, techniques, and tools of this field. This course was offered in Fall 2001 and Fall 2002 with 13 and 18 students, respectively.

Mark J. T. Smith

Professor and Head

Engineering Faculty Document No. 2-03

September 12, 2003

Page 2 of 2

Supporting Documentation:

1.         Level:  Dual Level

2.         Course Instructor:  David S. Ebert

3.         Course Outline:

Topics                                                                                                              Lectures

1.         Introduction to visualization and course material                                 1

2.         Fundamental graphics techniques and capabilities                                           2

3.         Data characteristics and scalar techniques                                                      3

4.         Volume visualization  techniques                                                                    6

5.                  Fundamentals of perception                                                                          3

6.         Visualization design principles                                                            3

7.         Flow visualization                                                                                          6

8.         Review of the latest visualization research                                                      3

9.         Medical visualization                                                                                     6

10.       Information visualization techniques and applications                          6

11.       Advanced display techniques and virtual reality                                  3

12.       Future trends and project results                                                                   2

            Total                                                                                                          44

4.                  Text: The Visualization Toolkit, 2^nd Edition, W. Schroeder, M. Martin, and W.

  Lorenson, Prentice Hall Computer Books, 1997. ISBN 0139546944.