[109422] in Cypherpunks
CDR: Review of Computers, Pattern, Chaos and Beauty
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Jim Choate)
Tue Mar 23 19:01:12 1999
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 16:25:52 -0600
From: Jim Choate <jchoate@dev.tivoli.com>
To: cypherpunks@einstein.ssz.com
Reply-To: Jim Choate <jchoate@dev.tivoli.com>
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<H1>Review of <I>Computers, Pattern, Chaos and Beauty</I> by Clifford A.
Pickover</H1>
<P>by <i>Lynellen D. S. Perry</I></P>
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<P>
<b>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=031206179X/acmcrossroadsstu">
Computers, Pattern, Chaos and Beauty</a>. 1990. Clifford A. Pickover. St.
Martin's Press, New York. 396 pages, $19.95</P></b>
<img src="http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/cliff4.gif" align="right">
<P><b>CPCB</b>
is a delightful smorgasbord of various scientific and artistic realms
that catalog some of Pickover's research (for more information on his
research, see Pickover's home page at
<a href="http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/HOME.HTM">
http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/HOME.HTM</a>). In the preface, Pickover describes
the contents of the book as follows,
<blockquote>"The first part of the book gives
background information on computer graphics and the creative use of computers.
The second part of the book describes various graphical methods for
representing and detecting patterns in complicated data. The third part of the
book illustrates simple techniques for visualizing graphically interesting
manifestations of chaotic behaviour."</blockquote></P>
<P>Aimed at students, artists, programmers, and lay-people, this is not a very
mathematically-oriented book. Instead, it is an accessible spur to creativity,
with something for everyone. Pickover's goals are: <blockquote>
"1. To present several
novel graphical ways of representing complicated data, <br>
2. To show the role of
aesthetics in mathematics and to suggest how computer graphics gives an
appreciation of the complexity and beauty underlying apparently simple
processes, <br>
3. To show, in general, the beauty, adventure and potential
importance of creative thinking using computers, <br>
4. To show how the computer
can be used as an instrument for simulation and discovery."
</blockquote> Lots of
illustrations and even pseudo-code are included to aid the reader in
further exploration.
</P>
<P>The reader's roller-coaster ride journeys through many topics, including
making computers not just speak, but sing; the representation and creation of
music with a computer; the study of the "breathing motions" of
proteins; and the analysis of genetic sequences in search for a cancer gene.
Chapter four introduces several unusual ways to graphically represent or
visualize data. Symmetrized dot-pattern snowflakes are used to visualize
speech waveforms, animal vocalizations, and cardiac sounds. Random dot moires
display protein molecule rotation while cartoon smiley faces can show the
auto-correlation between multiple variables in speech, DNA sequences, and
aircraft parameters. All of chapter five examines some image processing
techniques as applied to the examination of the Shroud of Turin.</P>
<P>In part two of <b>CPCB</b>
, Pickover explores how to use mathematical feedback
techniques (which produce the fractal images we're so familiar with, such as
the Mandelbrot set fractal) to create biological shapes reminiscent of sea
life and microscopic life. In part three, more traditional fractal spaces are
probed, as are mathematical chaos, dynamical systems, numerical approximation
methods and number theory. Several chapters are devoted to synthesizing
natural images, artistic spirals, ornamental textures, and tessellations. At
the end of the book is a large section of recipes, suggestions for further
experimentation, a glossary, and a gigantic list of references.</P>
<P>I highly recommend this book to any student who is trying to find
inspiration for understanding a large data set from any domain. If nothing
else, <b>CPCB</b> will spark your imagination and fire your enthusiasm to try a
visualization technique that seems to be completely off the wall. Besides,
<b>CPCB</b> has a lot of pretty pictures to look at.</P>
<P></P>
Last Modified:
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