Applications 2000 [computer graphics]

Applications have driven the development of computer graphics from the beginning. With so many original technical objectives achieved, the coming decades will likely see a greater emphasis on graphics applications, both taking advantage of these technologies and motivating new ones. The problem with predicting the future in this fast-moving area is that most "predictions" are already true. That said, this article explores a selected set of application domains and speculates on what the next few years may bring. The application domains considered are: science (astronomy, chemistry, biology, heath and medicine, physics, and mathematics); the environment (meteorology, geology, oceanography, and agriculture and land use); entertainment and the arts (movies, television, games and amusements, sports, fine arts, and archaeology); and other industries (publishing, manufacturing, transportation, the military, and business).