Final Year Studio - Research - Data Mapping Visualisation - Query Bursts

Image courtesy of http://design.yahoo.com/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Created by Aaron Koblin of the Yahoo Design Innovation Team, Query Bursts uses Jasmine Novak's data analysis of identifying the most populate search terms and geographically visualises it. It was done by creating a virtual globe then having the program do a reverse IP Address look up. These individual IP Addresses were then plotted on the globe using animated vertical particle systems.

Although I am not interested in geographically mapping data on to an actual map of the world, I found this project aesthetically interesting. The video itself first shows the gulf in Internet usage between countries of the world, for example developed countries glow yellow with activity, while poorer countries are hidden in the shadow. This is a general idea in which I am investigating, the idea that traditional lines of transportation still influence the development of the new lines of communication. Another thing that is highlighted in the piece is the way in which real world goings on, for example 'Hurricane Felix' influence the digital world by suddenly showing bursts of individuals searching within a specific geographical area.

Click here for link