The immersive visualization probe for exploring n-dimensional spaces

A new tool uses two types of dimensional navigation to display continuous 4D subsets of n-dimensional data. Thanks to the tool´s embedded coordinate systems, researchers can better understand a model´s underlying physical or mathematical process. Here, we describe a new method for visualizing data structure or models defined in higher-dimensional spaces. This technique is suitable for applications in which a scalar function, defined mathematically or procedurally, depends on n variables or parameters. The function´s values essentially describe a set of points in n-dimensional space. To visualize these sets, we fix all but three of the parameters and then sample the resulting 4D set (the three parameters and the function´s resulting value) on several discrete grids located on planes in the 3D space. We compose the image by using color to represent the fourth dimension (the function´s value) at discrete locations on these grids. Interactive control over the way the parameters are fixed results in a highly dynamic system that researchers can easily use to explore the n-dimensional space´s structure.