Publication Type

Conference Proceeding Article

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

10-2006

Abstract

NP-hard combinatorial optimization problems are common in real life. Due to their intractability, local search algorithms are often used to solve such problems. Since these algorithms are heuristic-based, it is hard to understand how to improve or tune them. We propose an interactive visualization tool, VIZ, meant for understanding the behavior of local search. VIZ uses animation of abstract search trajectories with other visualizations which are also animated in a VCR-like fashion to graphically playback the algorithm behavior. It combines generic visualizations applicable on arbitrary algorithms with algorithm and problem specific visualizations. We use a variety of techniques such as alpha blending to reduce visual clutter and to smooth animation, highlights and shading, automatically generated index points for playback, and visual comparison of two algorithms. The use of multiple viewpoints can be an effective way of understanding search behavior and highlight algorithm behavior which might otherwise be hidden.

Discipline

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics | Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering

Publication

UIST 2006: Proceedings of the 19th Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology, 15-18 October, Montreux, Switzerland

First Page

57

Last Page

66

ISBN

9781595933133

Identifier

10.1145/1166253.1166264

Publisher

ACM

City or Country

New York

Additional URL

http://doi.org/10.1145/1166253.1166264

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