**1. Introduction**

The chapter analyzes the sources of computer visualization metaphors and human-machine interaction. The metaphor essence consists of interpretation and experience of the phenomena of one sort in terms of the phenomena of other sort.

A metaphor is the main idea of forming the types of visualization views, interfaces, and scenarios of visualization output and interaction with it.

Metaphor sources are objects of the surrounding world, scientific ideas, ideas derived from literature, folklore, sci-fi cinema, computer games, etc.

Metaphorization is based on interaction structures of source and target domains. In the process of metaphorization, some objects of target domain are structured on an example of objects of target domain, and there is a metaphorical mapping (projection) of one domain onto another. That is how the metaphor can be understood as a map from source domain onto target domain, and this map is strictly structured [1]. Metaphor ideas are often based on real life as well as on abstract scientific ideas. Worth mentioning are such examples of pre-computer era visualization as cartography, engineering graphics, and Cartesian coordinates, which

played a crucial role in the development of modern civilization. Cartesian coordinates were the basis for the idea of computer graphics during the first period of its development. The use of new ideas is connected with developing the means for human-computer interaction. It is in this field that such metaphors as a light button and light button menu appeared. The most well-known and still popular desktop metaphor is also connected with interfaces intended to provide interaction in office work computerization. The desktop metaphor is almost entirely based on office work realities. However, there is a double-click, which can be called a magic feature and is unparalleled in real life. Further, such magic features were added in a whole range of metaphors used in computer visualization systems. The emergence of virtual reality as an environment for computer visualization made the use of metaphors relevant. Conditions inherent to virtual reality are somewhat similar to magic and science fiction. That is why fairy tales and sci-fi in literature and cinema may become an interesting source of new metaphors.

Variations of geographical metaphors are used now in data visualization and

and an important tool. Multiple views and projections, a set of rules depicting

*Sources of Computer Metaphors for Visualization and Human-Computer Interaction*

Engineering drawing is the product of the Industrial Revolution, its prerequisite

Engineering drawing in the form of CAD systems is an integral part of computer

One of the most powerful visualization ideas of the modern age is the idea to draw function graphs in Cartesian coordinates. The idea of function reflects rather abstract concepts, but due to graph drawings, even very young students may

2D and 3D graph drawings are the bases of modern scientific visualization and

For a start, let us revise the way things were in the field of human-computer interface before the emergence of visual metaphors. In those times software engineers (who comprised the basic quota of users all over the world) still remembered working with bulky computer consoles. Command-line interface prevailed in interactive systems. For instance, text editing commands included operation indication, the number of source line (sometimes the number of a symbol in the line as well), and (if necessary) the new text for correction or pasting. Such an interface, although it required from the user to keep in mind a continuously changing text, and despite occasional mishaps with saving the changes, was tolerable enough for professionals. Graphic displays gave a new impetus to human-computer interaction. Along with the tools of data visualization, program interface tools came into use. Based on that, light buttons (an output primitive used to emulate a functional key) and light button menu came into exploitation. With their help one could easily

interact both with the program's system and with the user's program.

The mass arrival of personal computers simply could not have happened without the emergence of visual interaction tools, new devices, and brand-new concepts of interface organization with the user, for example, the concept of direct

The concept of direct manipulation was suggested in the early 1980s by Professor B. Shneiderman, a famous expert in the field of computational sciences, who combined and analyzed new trends in organizing the interface. Currently, this

B. Shneiderman determined the following features of an interface created on the

2.Physical actions (manipulations with the mouse, joystick, touch screen, etc.) or using a functional keyboard instead of commands with complex syntax

3.Quick operations, divisible into steps and allowing resets, with an instantly

than as a dialog with the computer regarding these objects. Instead of using

The essence of this approach to interface creation is in making the user perceive their activity as direct manipulation with the objects displayed on the screen, rather

software visualization systems.

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89973*

tools of modern engineers.

become familiar with them.

**3. Computer metaphors**

manipulation.

**91**

concept prevails in interface design.

basis of the direct manipulation concept:

1.Continuous depiction of the object of interest

visible effect on the object of interest

product features, compile a certain explicit code.

an important part of data and software visualization [2].

Below we shall discuss the main ideas of pre-computer visualization, the potentials of metaphors based on real-life phenomena and on scientific ideas. Then we shall analyze the potentials of fairy tales as sources of metaphors. We shall also provide several examples of metaphors based on science fiction and discuss the evolution of visualization from a comic book to immersive cinema.
