Method to Extract Isosurfaces on the GPU by Means of Programmable Tessellation

摘要

This paper considers the task of real-time visualization of detailed 3D scalar fields through isosurfaces (surfaces representing constant values of scalar fields). A new method is proposed to overcome the limitations associated with the intensive reading of dummy (non-visualized) vertices from video memory and overheads of their storage, which arise when implementing isosurface polygonization methods on the GPU. The proposed method is based on the efficient generation of GPU threads (in which an isosurface model is constructed) by the programmed tessellation of quadrangular patches into regular vertex grids. We also propose a modified technology for marching cubes implementation on the GPU that is based on the developed method and allows the time cost of GPU thread generation and video memory footprint to be significantly reduced. Based on the proposed solutions, a software complex for the real-time construction and visualization of polygonal models of isosurfaces is implemented and tested, as well as the verification of synthesized images is carried out.