title: Feature aligned volume manipulation for illustration and visualization.
abstract: In this paper we describe a GPU-based technique for creating illustrative visualization through interactive manipulation of volumetric models. It is partly inspired by medical illustrations, where it is common to depict cuts and deformation in order to provide a better understanding of anatomical and biological structures or surgical processes, and partly motivated by the need for a real-time solution that supports the specification and visualization of such illustrative manipulation. We propose two new feature-aligned techniques, namely surface alignment and segment alignment, and compare them with the axis-aligned techniques which was reported in previous work on volume manipulation. We also present a mechanism for defining features using texture volumes, and methods for computing correct normals for the deformed volume in respect to different alignments. We describe a GPU-based implementation to achieve real-time performance of the techniques and a collection of manipulation operators including peelers, retractors, pliers and dilators which are adaptations of the metaphors and tools used in surgical procedures and medical illustrations. Our approach is directly applicable in medical and biological illustration, and we demonstrate how it works as an interactive tool for focus+context visualization, as well as a generic technique for volume graphics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA. cdcorrea@caip.rutgers.edu
authors.forename: Carlos D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Silver
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003196:Computer Graphics; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods; D008488:Medical Illustration / Q000193:education*; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D014584:User-Computer Interface