Gemini²: Generating Keyframe-Oriented Animated Transitions Between Statistical Graphics

Keywords

Animation and Motion-related Techniques, Algorithms, Guidelines, Software Architecture, Toolkit/Library, Language, Software Prototype, Human-Subjects Quantitative Studies

Abstract

Complex animated transitions may be easier to understand when divided into separate, consecutive stages. However, effective staging requires careful attention to both animation semantics and timing parameters. We present Gemini², a system for creating staged animations from a sequence of chart keyframes. Given only a start state and an end state, Gemini² can automatically recommend intermediate keyframes for designers to consider. The Gemini² recommendation engine leverages Gemini, our prior work, and GraphScape to itemize the given complex change into semantic edit operations and to recombine operations into stages with a guided order for clearly conveying the semantics. To evaluate Gemini²’s recommendations, we conducted a human-subject study in which participants ranked recommended animations from both Gemini² and Gemini. We find that Gemini²’s animation recommendation ranking is well aligned with subjects’ preferences, and Gemini² can recommend favorable animations that Gemini cannot support.