Multi-scale iso-surface extraction for volume visualization

ABSTRACT

This paper describes a new multi-scale approach for the extraction of iso-surfaces from volume datasets. Using histogram analysis, iso-values are extracted from histograms of boundary voxels defined by gradient magnitude thresholding. Multi-scale smoothing of the histogram using Gaussian filters of various sizes allows the iso-surfaces to be defined hierarchically over a scale space map. It provides an interactive environment and volume navigation tools for the exploration of large volume data sets by visualizing the layers of the volume space in a multi-scale manner.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.3 COMPUTER GRAPHICS
      I.3.7 Three-Dimensional Graphics and Realism

Additional Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.4 IMAGE PROCESSING AND COMPUTER VISION
        I.4.10 Image Representation
            Subjects: Volumetric
      I.4.6 Segmentation
          Subjects: Edge and feature detection

Keywords:
iso-surface extraction, multiscale space, volume visualization