In one of my classes, I was challenged to create a data visualization using images that my classmates had collected over the course of two weeks. We were to upload the images to Flickr so that we could use each other’s data as we liked using the Flickr API.
My goal was to incorporate some form of interaction in the visualization. I felt that this was a good way of allowing the user to explore the data by getting up close and personal. By being able to zoom in and out of the data, the user can perceive the data as both singular entities as well as a connected whole. Through this functionality, users can see trends, patterns, and anomalies.
To make this project, I used Processing and imported the images through the Flickr API. Then, I ran an image analysis algorithm on each image which gave me the average of its R, G, and B values. I took this average value and graphed it as a point on the visualization using their R, G, and B values as the x, y and z coordinates, respectively.
If I were to return to this project, the first thing I would do is add a function that allows users to see individual images and metadata to see the whole story behind them. I would also add a panning functionality so that users can see the visualization from an orthogonal view.