IEEE VIS 2025 Content: Multi-Focus Probes for Context-Preserving Network Exploration and Interaction in Immersive Analytics

Multi-Focus Probes for Context-Preserving Network Exploration and Interaction in Immersive Analytics

Eric Zimmermann -

Stefan Bruckner -

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Our proposed technique extends the interaction vocabulary for network visualizations in virtual environments allowing network exploration, editing, and navigation via multiple focuses while preserving context and orientation. Therefore, this technique could be of potential interest for practitioners interacting and editing (annotating) complex networks in VR.
Keywords

Virtual Reality, Graph, Focus+Context, Interaction, Editing

Abstract

Immersive visualization of network data enables users to physically navigate and interact with complex structures, but managing transitions between detailed local (egocentric) views and global (exocentric) overviews remains a major challenge. We present a multifocus probe technique for immersive environments that allows users to instantiate multiple egocentric subgraph views while maintaining persistent links to the global network context. Each probe acts as a portable local focus, enabling fine-grained inspection and editing of distant or occluded regions. Visual and haptic guidance mechanisms ensure context preservation during multi-scale interaction. We demonstrate and discuss the usability of our technique for the editing of network data.