The surreal package (CRAN, GitHub) allows you to hide secret messages or images in your data that can only be revealed when you plot the residuals of a linear model. It’s a fun way to add a little mystery to your data analysis projects. This package is based on the “Residual (Sur)Realism” algorithm described by Stefanski (2007). To get started, check out the package documentation.
I’ve wanted to create this package for a while, and I’m excited to finally share it with you. When I say for a while, I mean it. I’ve been thinking about this package ever since I first saw the Jack-O-Lantern image in a residual plot during my undergraduate studies. However, there never was time to make it a reality until now.
For details, see the surreal news file entry below:
surreal news file entry for version 0.0.1 (2024-09-12)
Features
surreal(): embeds a hidden image supplied by (x, y) coordinates into a data set that seemingly has no pattern until the residuals are plotted.surreal_text(): embeds a hidden text pattern into a data set that seemingly has no pattern until the residuals are plotted.- Included data:
r_logo_image_data: a data set containing the R logo image that can be hidden using thesurreal()function.jackolantern_surreal_data: a data set containing a hidden jack-o-lantern image.