Exploring Large-Scale Scientific Data in Virtual Reality

The conventional method of data exploration primarily relies on 2D and 3D visualization tools. However, with the advent of lower-cost virtual reality (VR) hardware, a transformation is underway. This study presents a novel data pipeline developed from ParaView (Open source Scientific visualization software) to the Unity Game Engine (Cross platform used to develop interactive contents such as games, animations and in this case VR) to investigate this transition. Specifically, we apply VR technology to the exploration of particle-based scientific datasets, focusing on data generated by a Hardware/Hybrid Accelerated Cosmology Code (HACC) simulation. This project applies VR to the identification of patterns and clusters within HACC particle-based datasets. We enable effective user interaction by integrating VR into the broader field of large data exploration, which includes features like data interaction, manipulation, and in-depth analysis. We implement custom interactions to enable interrogation of underlying data streams to provide deeper insight.