Using 3D animation techniques to help with the experimental design and analysis phase of a Visual Interactive Simulation project

This paper describes an interactive 3D animation approach that may help with the investigation, understanding and interpretation of results for a Visual Interactive Simulation (VIS) project. The method uses a graphics algorithm to draw on a computer screen ‘3D contour maps’ which show the response of a simulation model to changes in its input parameters. A previous paper showed that it is possible for a neural network to learn the response of a simulation. This paper shows that the speed of response of a neural network can be exploited so that 3D animation sequences of the simulation’s results can be produced. It is possible to rotate the ‘3D contour map’, zoom, pan, or generally view the projection from different perspectives. Two example problems are described. The paper suggests that this approach can further improve the quality of VIS by being able to give comprehensive graphic 3D sensitivity analyses to the original problem under investigation.