back to main page

back to Seminar page

Richard Palais introduces 3D-XplorMath

2003-01-23: 1700-1800
Richard Palais (Brandeis University)
3D-XplorMath: A Mathematical Visualization Program for "The Rest of Us"

Abstract: Mathematical visualization programs have been traditionally either directed at the professional research scientist or else at a low level, common denominator layman. The first kind have a fairly steep learning curve, since to see an object one must first create it in some programming environment, while those of the second kind have the drawback that they deal with only fairly elementary mathematical objects. 3D-XplorMath tries to find a middle ground. Its goal is to be a Mathematical Laboratorium, useful to research mathematicians and graduate students, but also to undergraduates, teachers of mathematics, and anyone with an interest in investigating the visual and logical beauty of mathematics. To attain this goal it contains a large Gallery of pre-programmed objects from many areas of both elementary and advanced mathematics, and associated documentation for each of these objects. It also contains many different carefully tailored rendering algorithms to display and animate these objects and the various mathematical processes that are associated with them. In this talk I will demo the program, discuss its evolution, and explain the plans of the 3DXM Consortium for the future development of the program.

2003-01-20: seminar: Richard Palais (Brandeis University), Chuu-Lian Terng (Northeastern University) and Martin Guest (Tokyo Metropolitan University): 3D-Filmstrip (3D-XplorMath)

Conference photos: