Computer Data Processing and Visualization (FSI-VPG)

The aim of hte course to provde a comprehensive overview and references on current technologies of computer graphics for future IT engineers, focused on integrating HMI, image and engineering data inputs, their processing, user control, visualization and reports.

General knowledge of contemporary computer hardware, mathematic apparatus of analytical geometry and numerical methods, elementary course physics and electrotechnics.

The course is intended as an introduction to the history of computer graphics, 2D and 3D graphics methods, problematics of colours and colour systems, imaging and image processing, classification of display devices. It gives an overview of text and graphics user interfaces, tools and dashboards for data visualisation, introduction to desktop publishing, and an overview of print methods and technologies.

An introduction to computer graphics - bitmap and vector character of computer graphics; History - alphanumerical and graphical terminals, plotters and matrix printer, development of PC graphical adapters.
2D graphics - basic bitmap operations, lines, curves, bitmap and vector fonts, basic file formats for bitmap and vector graphics.
3D graphics - axonometry and linear perspective, Bezier and Coons bikubic and common surfaces and their connections. Realistic visualisation of solid objects, visibility, constant, Gouraud a Phong shading. Brief introduction to 3D API and 3D acceleration hardware.
Colours and colour systems - principles of colour vision, RGB, HSI/HSV, Y/C and CIELAB color systems. Brief introduction to Color Management - device calibration, color profiles and gamut transformation methods.
Imaging devices - HMI devices, basic function principles of image sensors, resolution, colour channels and bit depth.
Static imaging and digital movie file formats, lossless and lossy compression of still images and video.
Image processing and point transformation principles (histograms, brightness and geometry transformations), application examples of image processing based on convolution and Fourier transformation.
Display devices - CRT, LCD and OLED displays, electronic paper, industrial and automotive displays and signalisation devices;
Evolution of Human-Machine interfaces from historical to contemporary, RAD approaches, specifics of keyboard and pointing device driven GUIs; Mobile and Industrial Automation User Interfaces, Skinning and CSS for web based GUI.
SCADA and Dashboards for visualization of numerical and non-numerical online data, including 1D, 2D, 3D data, visualization of relations, non-numerical states and approaches to Real Time data.
Desktop Publishing - Typography, classification and font measurements. Text, page layout, paragraphs, spacing, hyphenation, composition and corrections. PostScript, composition software and publication systems.
Print-outs - source data requirements, printing technologies used in office printers, press-proof, imagesetting, offset printers.