Human Picsurfing - A Learning Application of Random Surfer Model

PageRank is a one of the major algorithms for web information retrieval. This paper proposes the implementation of web application named “Human Picsurfing,” which enable users to learn the overview and mechanism of PageRank algorithm and to learn the basics of linear algebra such as matrices and vectors. The characteristic of this application is to adopt human shaped pictograms to represent nodes of network graph. Pictograms are said to evoke personal associations in the observer, reminding them of themselves or relevant people and objects due to their high level of abstraction in content representation. This allows users to image human networks.