Navigation Through Volume Data by Active Vision Methods

Abstract

Recently, the interactive exploration of volume data has received increasing attention in Scientific Visualization research. In this context one of the key problems is the machine perception of object surfaces prior to their three-dimensional rendering. We present an active vision approach exploiting interactivity features of modern visualization systems. By the integration of Computer Vision methods into the visualization pipeline immediate user control of the highly complex machine perception process becomes possible. On the basis of this concept we propose the vision camera, a tool for interactive vision during volume data walkthroughs. This camera model is characterized by a flexible front-plane which, under the control of user-specified Parameters and image features elastically matches to object surfaces, while shifted through a data volume. Thus, objects are interactively carved out and can be visualized by Standard volume visualization methods. Implementation and application of the model are described. Our results suggest that by the integration of human and machine vision new perspectives for data exploration are opened up.