TACC Researchers Forge Visual Archives of the Future

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As our digital archives grow, the task of archivists has grown exponentially more complex. To help tackle these challenges, researchers at the Texas Advanced Computing Center are investigating different data archive analysis methods using a unique visualization framework.

Archival analysis is a multi-layered process and it is unique to each collection that is being assessed,” explained Maria Esteva, a digital archivist and data management and collections researcher at TACC. “We are conducting research to map analysis processes used by archivists onto a visualization that combines data driven analysis tools. In this way, the archivist can integrate his or her experience into the workflow.”

Visualizing big data is not something well suited to a small laptop display. TACC’s experts are currently building a multi-touch tiled display system to improve interactivity and to enhance the collaborative aspects of visual analysis for multiple users.

Technology research led by TACC today is yielding results that will be eventually integrated into the cyberinfrastructure of our country. At that point these technologies researched today will become commonplace,” said Robert Chadduck, Acting Director for the National Archives Center for Advanced Systems and Technologies. “In that way, TACC is providing what I believe is a window on the archives of the future.”

I haven’t seen this work at TACC myself, but I can tell you that looking at my storage through visualization utilities like Grandperspective can be a real eye opener. Read the Full Story.

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