The Virtual Annotation System

Abstract

Annotation is a key operation for developing understanding of complex data or extended spaces. We have developed a flexible set of annotation tools that can be placed in a variety of applications. These tools offer a full set of capabilities for inserting, iconizing, playing back, and organizing annotations in a virtual space. They also have an intuitive and easy-to-use interface for employing these capabilities while immersed in the virtual environment. We illustrate the annotation system with two diverse examples: a general data visualization/analysis application and an architectural walkthrough.