Biological structures are interesting to model and visualize
for several reasons.
- Database amplification,
a term coined by Alvy Ray Smith [Smi1984],
is the process of creating complex images using small data sets.
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- Emergence, a term brought
into prominence by the study of Artificial Life [Tay1992],
means that the system as a whole acquires complex properties through the
interaction, in space and over time, among its component modules. The modules
themselves are usually fairly simple.
In living organisms, complex forms and patterns result
from development, and their emergence is traditionally referred to as morphogenesis.
By studying emergent processes in a biological context,
we can gain a better understanding of the world around us. |
