Toward the Visible Dinosaur: Integrating Anatomical Systems to Test Inferences of Function, Physiology, and Behavior, with Special Emphasis on Broader Impacts and Outreach

恐龙在联合收割机重要的科学研究和有意义的公众宣传方面具有无与伦比的潜力。Visible Dinosaur项目通过将PI先前由NSF资助的研究结果与新研究相结合来解决这两项任务，以在引人入胜的3D虚拟计算机环境中恢复许多恐龙的头部解剖结构。这个雄心勃勃的项目的时机已经成熟：解剖学研究现在非常先进，可以对恐龙的鼻子，耳朵，眼睛，大脑，肌肉，血管，神经和皮肤进行可靠的推断，而且，现在的技术可以同时进行3D分析。Visible Dinosaur是第一个在交互式3D虚拟环境中以集成，严格的方式查看所有解剖系统的努力，可能是人类以外的任何东西。大量的3D数据将被生成、存档和传播，这将为网络基础设施做出重大贡献。恐龙科学将有一个新的基准，允许一个新的水平的科学复杂性。该项目将吸引不同的科学家提供他们的专业知识，促进新的合作研究网络。“看得见的恐龙”项目在将公共宣传纳入其核心方面具有创新性，使用Web 2.0实现（YouTube、Facebook、博客等），主流媒体（新闻稿，电视/广播纪录片），以及主要研究的简单语言视频处理。《看得见的恐龙》将利用人们对恐龙的兴趣，向广大观众有意义地讲述进化论、生物学、科学方法和科学的价值，从而造福社会。从这个初始项目开始，希望建立一个更广泛的科学家，教育工作者，媒体艺术专业人士，甚至政策制定者的网络，以实现可视恐龙的全部潜力。

Dinosaurs present unequaled potential to combine significant science with meaningful public outreach. The Visible Dinosaur project addresses both missions by integrating the results of previous NSF-funded research by the PIs with new studies to restore the head anatomy of numerous dinosaurs in an engaging 3D virtual computer environment. The time is right for this ambitious project: anatomical studies are now so advanced that reliable inferences can be made about dinosaur noses, ears, eyes, brains, muscles, blood vessels, nerves, and skin, and, moreover, the technology is now available to analyze it all simultaneously in 3D. The Visible Dinosaur is the first effort to view all anatomical systems together in an integrated, rigorous manner within an interactive 3D virtual environment for anything other than perhaps humans. Huge amounts of 3D data will be generated, archived, and disseminated, representing a significant contribution to cyberinfrastructure. Dinosaur science will have a new benchmark, permitting a new level of scientific sophistication. The project will attract diverse scientists to lend their expertise, fostering new collaborative research networks. The Visible Dinosaur project is innovative in integrating public outreach into its core, using Web 2.0 implementations (YouTube, Facebook, blogs, etc.), mainstream media (news releases, TV/radio documentaries), and plain-language video treatments of primary research. The Visible Dinosaur will benefit society by exploiting interest in dinosaurs to talk meaningfully to a very broad audience about evolution, biology, scientific methods, and the value of science generally. From this initial project, it is hoped to build an even broader network of scientists, educators, media arts professionals, and even policymakers to realize the full potential of the Visible Dinosaur.