Ambient and Ubiquitous Visualization for Sustainability

分布式传感和数据收集机制正在为居民提供丰富的资源消耗数据。以有意义和适合背景的方式将这些信息可视化，将有助于弥合数据与关于如何可持续地使用资源的明智决策之间的差距。这项研究计划将研究如何使用不同的可视化方法，从典型的信息显示到更多的嵌入式和环境表示，来帮助人们了解和管理在非桌面环境中的能源使用情况：在家里、在学校和在公共环境中。它支持保护活动，特别是减少能源消耗，需要一系列可视化技术来帮助做出明智的决策。 然而，典型的信息可视化技术并不一定适用。许多研究人员指出，我们不能仅仅将已建立的可视化技术引入非工作环境。为这些环境设计用户界面系统的过程意味着考虑从环境到焦点的一系列用户注意力，适当放置设备以支持日常活动，并平衡美学吸引力和实用性。这项研究计划将使用经验和科学的方法来建立基本的易读性和可感知性限制，同时整合更多来自设计和建筑的应用知识，以探索在不同任务和环境中放置、操作和实用的影响。它将研究一系列方法，从传统的数据信息可视化到最近研究倡导的环境、分布式和无处不在的表示法。它将改善一系列计算机生成的能源使用可视化技术的外观、交流范围、可用性和有效性，并使加拿大人更容易做出明智的节能决策。

Distributed sensing and data collection mechanisms are making a wealth of data about resource consumption available to residents. Visualizing this information in ways that are meaningful and contextually appropriate will help to bridge the gap between data and informed decisions about how to sustainably use resources. This research program will examine how different visualization approaches, from typical information displays to more embedded and ambient representations, can be used to help people understand and manage their energy use in non-desktop contexts: in the home, at school and in public environments. It supports conservation activities, and particularly reducing energy use, requires a range of visualization techniques to aid informed decision-making. However, typical information visualization techniques are not necessarily applicable. Numerous researchers have pointed out that we cannot just import established visualization techniques to non-work environments. The process of designing the user interface systems for these environments means considering a range of user attention from ambient to focused, appropriate placement of devices to support daily activities, and balancing aesthetic appeal and usefulness. This research program will use both empirical and scientific approaches to establish basic legibility and perceptibility constraints while integrating more applied knowledge from design and architecture to explore the impact of placement, operation and utility in different tasks and environments. It will investigate a gamut of approaches from traditional information visualizations of data to the ambient, distributed and ubiquitous representations advocated by recent research. It will improve the appearance, communicative scope, usability and efficacy of a range of computer-generated techniques for visualization of energy use and make it easy for Canadians make informed energy conservation decisions.