Achieving Direct Volume Visualization with Interactive Semantic Region Selection

摘要

Interactive direct visualization of three dimensional data requires fast updaterates and the ability to extract regions of interest from the surrounding data. We have implemented Multi-Valued Classification volume renderers on a general purpose multiprocessor graphics platform (Pixel-Planes 5) that are faster than any yet reported (2-15 frames per second). We have joined one of them with a sophisticated system for interactive semantic region selection, to our knowledge the first such combination. The result is a system that provides fast visualization of complex information in three dimensional data. Parallel volume rendering yields rates that make interactive control of image viewing possible for the first time. We have achieved rates as high as 15 frames per second by trading some function for speed, while volume rendering with a full complement of ramp classification capabilities is performed at 1.4 frames per second. We present lessons learned from writing fast volume renderers and applying of image processing techniques to viewing volumetric data.