Project 1: Visualizing Mars Data in OpenSpace

Table of Contents

1. Total Number of Hours = 68

2. Proposal

3. Proposal Evaluations

4. Milestones 

5. Timeline

6. Visualization

7. Deliverable: Creating a 360˚ VR App in Unity

7. Deliverable: Google Cardboard Activity 

Project Proposal

I initially had a goal of visualizing NASA's Earth Night Lights Data in ParaView or Unity. Visualizing lights indicating human activity could be useful in determining areas of Earth that are more densely populated at certain times of the day. However, after evaluating the feasibility of my project and porting process to the Yurt, I switched gears and decided to visualize the CelesTrak NORAD Mars Dataset in OpenSpace.  Deliverables include a short VR film, developed for Google Cardboard and mobile devices, using the Google Cardboard iOS and Android SDK that outlines the data visualization process. The video will serve as an accessible way for users to view the progress of visualizing space data. There will also be an accompanying writeup documenting the whole process of visualizing CelesTrak data in OpenSpace. I will include a Google Cardboard tutorial for the Wiki and how it integrates into iOS, along with ARKit.

A classic activity would include experimenting with Google Cardboard and displaying sample 360˚ videos on the headset. Students would be able to test the videos through one of two Google Cardboard headsets.

Proposal Evaluations

Evaluation by David - February 7, 2020

The proposed project clearly identifies deliverable additions to our VR Software Wiki

(4)   Please clarify the value of the proposed vr movie for the type of wiki science users we are targeting.  I also imagine some addional wiki content might emerge.  I also strongly encourage a VR movie that goes beyond google cardboard with a cardboard version.

The proposed project involves previously unavailable Yurt data visualization functionality

(2)  maybe, but not yet yet articulated

The proposed project involves large data visualization along the lines of the "Data Types" wiki page and identifies the specific data and software that it will use

(5)

The proposed project has a realistic schedule with explicit and measurable milestones at least each week and mostly every class

(3-4) It's fine to make your VR movie content in unity, even though that won't play in the yurt.  Will your project include work to get Unity running in the Yurt, since you are hoping to use it?  The plan for yurt use is, I think, too tentative.  Please try to trade some of the ar/cardboard functionality for yurt functionality.  It seems reasonable to document with cardboard content, but the AR parts seem unclear and not vis+yurt targetted.  Perhaps some of that time could be spent taking the Unity data vis of the NASA data and working with a Unity yurt port.  Can you sync up with one of the other project milestones?

The proposed project includes an in-class activity

(3)  looking forward to this on Tuesday!  :-)

The proposed project has resources available with sufficient documentation

(4)

Also add any additional thoughts guided by the questions in the homework wiki entry.

Sounds exciting!  I don't know what the data you are using looks like, but there is a viewer for very large 2D images.  If you can make one from the NASA data, that might be a way to look at it in the yurt.

Evaluation by Ross - February 7, 2020

The proposed project clearly identifies deliverable additions to our VR Software Wiki  

(3)  I would add more details about the scientific significance of the suggested movie (e.g. what are we trying to understand by visualizing NASA's Earthdata). In addition, it would be nice if your deliverables were more related to the YURT. 

The proposed project involves previously unavailable Yurt data visualization functionality

(3)  It could be possible to port some of the Google Cardboard / AR visualizations you suggest to the YURT; Nevertheless, it would be beneficial to elaborate what software could be used to port these visualizations. 

The proposed project involves large data visualization along the lines of the "Data Types" wiki page and identifies the specific data and software that it will use 

(5)  Earthdata contains many interesting images; in addition, if you're also interested in exploring a 3D dataset, NASA publishes LiDAR data of the Earth's terrain.   

The proposed project has a realistic schedule with explicit and measurable milestones at least each week and mostly every class

(5)  Milestones are concrete and detailed. Well done!

The proposed project includes an in-class activity 

(4)  The class activity is related to the project; however, it would be nice to have an in-class tutorial that is tied to either porting software to the YURT or visualizing data in the YURT. 

The proposed project has resources available with sufficient documentation

(5) Much is known about Google Cardboard and NASA's Earthdata has been decent documentation, so the project is very feasible!

Evaluation by Giuse - February 8, 2020

The proposed project clearly identifies deliverable additions to our VR Software Wiki

(5)  There are identified deliverable addition to the wiki in the video and the evaluation

The proposed project involves previously unavailable Yurt data visualization functionality

(2)  The unavailable  YURT data visualization needs more clarification, but can be interpreted

The proposed project involves large data visualization along the lines of the "Data Types" wiki page and identifies the specific data and software that it will use

(5)  Appropriate data types are clear and specific 

The proposed project has a realistic schedule with explicit and measurable milestones at least each week and mostly every class

(5)  Schedule is extremely useful

The proposed project includes an in-class activity

(5)  There is an in-class activity related to the project

The proposed project has resources available with sufficient documentation

(5)  There is sufficient documentation

Evaluation by Laura - February 8, 2020

The proposed project clearly identifies deliverable additions to our VR Software Wiki 

(5)  Yes, the proposed project deliverables will include a short video documenting the NASA Earthdata visualization process in Google Cardboard as well as a writeup documenting the progress and comparison of different AR/VR software for iOS including ARKit. 

The proposed project involves previously unavailable Yurt data visualization functionality 

(5)  Yes, the proposed project does involve previously unavailable Yurt data visualization functionality.

The proposed project involves large data visualization along the lines of the "Data Types" wiki page and identifies the specific data and software that it will use 

(5)  The proposed project uses NASA Earthdata, which is detailed in the "Data Types" wiki page as well as outlines the specific software it will use.

The proposed project has a realistic schedule with explicit and measurable milestones at least each week and mostly every class 

(5)  A timeline for the next few weeks is detailed below.

The proposed project includes an in-class activity 

(5)  Yes, the in-class activity is a Google Cardboard tutorial.

The proposed project has resources available with sufficient documentation 

(5)  The proposed project does have online resources available as well as accompanying documentation (NASA site, iOS tutorials on Ray Wanderlich, Apple documentation, etc.).

Milestones

February 11, 2020

By Tuesday, February 11,  I will have imported and visualized a NASA dataset in ParaView as a test for determining whether ParaView is best for visualizing terrain/map datasets in .csv format. I will have also started working on the Google Cardboard for iOS tutorial/outline journal that I will create over the course of the semester. I will also update a comparison of other AR/VR software for mobile phones, such as Apple's ARKit and Google's ARCore.

February 13, 2020

By Thursday, February 13, I will have fully tested and played a 360˚ video on Google Cardboard and outlined a Google Cardboard activity. I will have also updated the Google Cardboard journal.

February 20, 2020

By Tuesday, February 20, I will have imported and visualized the NASA Night Lights dataset in Unity (unfortunately, not currently portable to the Yurt, but I will use it to see how it compares to ParaView). 

February 25, 2020

By Thursday, February 25, I will have fully updated the Google Cardboard journal and ARKit vs. ARCore information. 

February 27, 2020

By Tuesday, February 27, I will have tested a piece of software in the Yurt to determine how to get a piece of data visualized in the Yurt.

March 3, 2020

By Thursday, March 3, I will have completed a self-made VR test video available for display on Google Cardboard.

Timeline

January 26, 2020 - 3 hours

Initial research of VR and AR mediums and methods, 

January 29, 2020 - 2 hours

Researched Snapchat's Lens Studio tutorial

January 31, 2020 - 5 hours

Continued Snapchat's Lens Studio tutorial and implemented a sample filter, began researching other AR applications for mobile devices, including Apple's ARKit and Google's ARCore

February 4, 2020 - 2 hours

Researched various visualization open-source pieces of software, looked into ParaView and Unity as possible pieces of software for visualizing data

February 6, 2020 - 1 hour

Visualized sample dataset in ParaView to gain familiarity with the interface, decided to not use ParaView for Project 1

February 7, 2020 - 6 hours

Researched several different types of datasets to use and ultimately decided to visualize space data, since most VR pieces of software are new to me, I tried out several of them, such as Unreal and Unity. Watched and followed several tutorials and OpenSpace videos from their YouTube channel and Githhub.

February 9, 2020 - 2 hours

Determined exactly which dataset I would be utilizing and which types of files (.jpg, .png, .gif, or .tif) I would be visualizing

February 10, 2020 - 2 hours

Prepared presentation to outline project to class

February 12, 2020 - 4 hours

Successfully displayed 360˚ video on Google Cardboard, determined which .tif file I would display in the Yurt as a test

February 16, 2020 - 4 hours

Tested Unity and YouTube videos on Google Cardboard, tested Google Cardboard SDK for iOS; outlined "Creating a 360˚ VR App in Unity" tutorial (please see below), which will be added to the Wiki

February 17, 2020 - 4 hours

Tested Night Lights dataset but determined it is corrupt when downloaded and not compatible with Unity, accumulated individual .tiff files but larger dataset not supported

February 18, 2020 - 3 hours

Downloaded and got familiar with OpenSpace, tried several built-in and external datasets in OpenSpace, determined I will visualize Mars terrain data in OpenSpace

February 19, 2020 - 4 hours

Created presentation involving Mars dataset and OpenSpace, researched OpenSpace datasets in comparison to Planet datasets for Unity

February 21, 2020 - 6 hours

Followed The Cherno's OpenGL tutorial and setup. Set up OpenGL with OpenSpace as well as how datasets are integrated in OpenSpace framework. 

February 24, 2020 - 3 hours

Had to do a lot of research on where exactly the datasets are imported in the OpenSpace source code.

February 25, 2020 - 4 hours

Determined that datasets are presented in TLE (Two-Line Element) format and found Mars dataset that was specifically available in this format. Initially tried to convert the Mars dataset that I already had, which consisted of hundreds of .tif files, into TLE format but could not find a converter.

February 27, 2020 - 2 hours

Worked with Brandon to port Mars data to the Yurt. Had to gain familiarity with MinVR.

March 1, 2020 - 3 hours

Second session to port Mars data to the Yurt. Outlined Google Cardboard activity.

March 3, 2020 - 2 hours

Prepared for Google Cardboard in-class activity. 

March 6, 2020 - 1 hour

Started creating final Project 1 presentation.

March 7, 2020 - 2 hours

Took photos and videos of progress to be added to presentation and comparison to original goal of Visualizing Night Lights data.

March 8, 2020 - 3 hours

Completed Project 1 presentation. 

Creating a 360˚ VR App in Unity

Google Cardboard Mobile Application for iOS and Android Activity