Giga-stack: A method for visualizing giga-pixel layered imagery on massively tiled displays

In this paper, we present a technique for the interactive visualization and interrogation of multi-dimensional giga-pixel imagery. Co-registered image layers representing discrete spectral wavelengths or temporal information can be seamlessly displayed and fused. Users can freely pan and zoom, while swiftly transitioning through data layers, enabling intuitive analysis of massive multi-spectral or time-varying records. A data resource aware display paradigm is introduced which progressively and adaptively loads data from remote network attached storage devices. The technique is specifically designed to work with scalable, high-resolution, massively tiled display environments. By displaying hundreds of mega-pixels worth of visual information all at once, several users can simultaneously compare and contrast complex data layers in a collaborative environment.