California drought impact: Multimodal data representation to predict the water cycle

We present our approach for visualizing and sonifying multivariate data describing California's drought using physical data sculptures and projection-mapping images with user interactions. We provide an interaction tool to depict the causes and impact of the drought and promote awareness of water consumption. It offers an opportunity to experience a metamorphosis of water and its impact on the drought. Prototypes of an interactive multimodal data visualization and sonification depict the past, present, and future of the drought by altering water morphology (water metamorphosis) which occurs as a result of climate changes. Thus, this multimodal data representation not only provides an aesthetically meaningful visualization but also encourages good environmental stewardship using the hybrid practices of art and design. This data representation also leads to a new media interactive interface utilizing audio synthesis, visualization, and real-time interaction. In this paper, we describe the design process and illustrate how this interface was developed based on environmental issues and can also be applied to other interactive media artwork to visually reveal informative patterns.