Nicholas Polys

Synopsis:

Dr. Nicholas Polys studies the cognitive and graphical aspects of 3D scientific visualization and medical umaging, information and interaction architectures (especially the Web3D ecology), human computer unteraction and usability engineering in virtual and augmented reality.

Description:

Dr. Polys is Director of Visual Computing with Virginia Tech Research Computing Group and Affiliate Research Professor in the Department of Computer Science. He has developed interactive 3D graphics content and systems since 1997. His research interests lie at the center of graphics and Human Computer Interaction: the intersection of visualization, virtual environments, and perception. After his undergraduate research in Cognitive Science at Vassar College (1996), he jumped into the networked information space of the WWW developing audio, visual, and 3D assets and software. His doctoral work at Virginia Tech (2006) examined perceptual cues and layout behaviors for Information-Rich Virtual Environments for desktop to immersive platforms. He is a member of ACM, IEEE Computer Society, and the Web3D Consortium. He is co-author of the international standard (ISO) Extensible 3D (X3D), elected Director and President of the Web3D Consortium. His visualization technology and methods has been applied to medical imaging, volume rendering, agent-based simlulation of the immune system, and 3D biochemical structures.