Visibility histograms and visibility-driven transfer functions

Direct volume rendering is an important tool for visualizing complex data sets. However, in the process of generating 2D images from 3D data, information is lost in the form of attenuation and occlusion. The lack of a feedback mechanism to quantify the loss of information in the rendering process ma...

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Veröffentlicht in:IEEE transactions on visualization and computer graphics. - 1996. - 17(2011), 2 vom: 13. Feb., Seite 192-204
1. Verfasser: Correa, Carlos D (VerfasserIn)
Weitere Verfasser: Ma, Kwan-Liu
Format: Online-Aufsatz
Sprache:English
Veröffentlicht: 2011
Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk:IEEE transactions on visualization and computer graphics
Schlagworte:Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:Direct volume rendering is an important tool for visualizing complex data sets. However, in the process of generating 2D images from 3D data, information is lost in the form of attenuation and occlusion. The lack of a feedback mechanism to quantify the loss of information in the rendering process makes the design of good transfer functions a difficult and time consuming task. In this paper, we present the general notion of visibility histograms, which are multidimensional graphical representations of the distribution of visibility in a volume-rendered image. In this paper, we explore the 1D and 2D transfer functions that result from intensity values and gradient magnitude. With the help of these histograms, users can manage a complex set of transfer function parameters that maximize the visibility of the intervals of interest and provide high quality images of volume data. We present a semiautomated method for generating transfer functions, which progressively explores the transfer function space toward the goal of maximizing visibility of important structures. Our methodology can be easily deployed in most visualization systems and can be used together with traditional 1D and 2D opacity transfer functions based on scalar values, as well as with other more sophisticated rendering algorithms
Beschreibung:Date Completed 29.02.2012
Date Revised 24.04.2012
published: Print
Citation Status PubMed-not-MEDLINE
ISSN:1941-0506
DOI:10.1109/TVCG.2010.35