Linking the two areas together, this book presents the latest research and development, so as to highlight the potential of information visualisation as an enabling technology in the design of new generations of virtual environments. This will be an invaluable source of reference for courses in information visualisation, user interface design, virtual environments, HCI, and information retrieval, as well as a useful resource for consultants and practitioners. The book contains 144 colour images of intriguing and influential works in information visualisation.

Introduction.- Geographic Visualisation.- Abstract Information Visualisation.- Optimal Information Foraging.- Exploring Cyberspaces.- Social Interaction in Online Communities.- Information Visualisation Resources.- Finding Salient Structures.- Virtual Structures.- The Use of WordNet(R).- Structural Analysis and Modelling.- Generalised Similarity Analysis: Introduction.- Spatial Layout and Graph Drawing Algorithms.- Clustering and Scaling.- Trees, Cone Trees and Hyperbolic Views.- Drawing General Undirected Graphs.- Examples of Graph Drawing.- Graph Drawing Resources.- Information Visualisation Systems and Applications.- Navigation in Large Information Structures.- Visualising Search Results.- Spatial Metaphors for Information Exploration.- Visualising the Literature.- The Web and Online Communities.- Online Resources.- Individual Differences in Visual Navigation.- A Semantically Organised Virtual Environment.- Study I: Spatial Ability.- Study II: Associative Memory and Visual Memory.- Study III: Associative Memory and Spatial Ability.- Virtual Environments.- Informal Communication and Mutual Awareness.- Information Spaces and Social Spaces.- The StarWalker Virtual Environment.- Social Interaction in StarWalker.- Bibliography.- Index.