Realtime Database Support for Environmental Visualization

Much research has been done on interfacing databases to visualization applications, and there are many varied approaches. We describe the lessons learned during the design and development of the REINAS software (Real-time Environmental Information Network and Analysis System). We have developed visualization applications that have been in public use for several years and that visualize data from re-lational database engines. Our most popular tools are World Wide Web access tools. Our most sophisticated tools have novel user interfaces{ Spray and CSpray. In this paper we present the interface and API (application programming interface) issues, as well as the development of the required middleware. The REINAS system is a complete data management system whose requirements and construction were driven primarily by the visualization needs, and therefore presents a unique view of how to utilize commercial relational database technologies for environmental visualization. 1 Overview The REINAS{Real{time Environmental InformationNetwork and Analysis system{ is an information management system, including a relational database and mid-dleware, intended to marry data and visualization for environmental science. The project is an OOce of Naval Research university research initiative for bringing environmental science into a more intimate relationship with state of the art visualization and information technology. Figure 1 shows a high-level view of the system. Lines indicate physical or wireless network connections. Lines are bi-directional unless indicated otherwise. Data ows generally from left to right, and feedback and control generally ow from right to left. As the most visible part of our project we have numerous applications that interface to relational database technology. Much of the behind the scenes work has been in developing the system middleware and database schema 9], but the interface has also held numerous challenges. We have satissed several of the challenges, and face in the near term some additional large challenges. To demonstrate our contribution, we rst describe our project, solutions to date, and the trade-oos in diierent interface approaches.