Semantics by Analogy for Illustrative Volume Visualization

Information

• Publication Type: Journal Paper (without talk)
• Workgroup(s)/Project(s):
  • ViMaL: A Visualization Mapping Language
• Date: May 2012
• Journal: Computers & Graphics
• Number: 3
• Volume: 36
• Pages: 201 – 213
• Keywords: shader augmentation, semantic visualization mapping, illustrative visualization, Volume rendering

Abstract

We present an interactive graphical approach for the explicit specification of semantics for volume visualization. This explicit and graphical specification of semantics for volumetric features allows us to visually assign meaning to both input and output parameters of the visualization mapping. This is in contrast to the implicit way of specifying semantics using transfer functions. In particular, we demonstrate how to realize a dynamic specification of semantics which allows to flexibly explore a wide range of mappings. Our approach is based on three concepts. First, we use semantic shader augmentation to automatically add rule-based rendering functionality to static visualization mappings in a shader program, while preserving the visual abstraction that the initial shader encodes. With this technique we extend recent developments that define a mapping between data attributes and visual attributes with rules, which are evaluated using fuzzy logic. Second, we let users define the semantics by analogy through brushing on renderings of the data attributes of interest. Third, the rules are specified graphically in an interface that provides visual clues for potential modifications. Together, the presented methods offer a high degree of freedom in the specification and exploration of rule-based mappings and avoid the limitations of a linguistic rule formulation.

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BibTeX

@article{Peter_2012_AIV,
  title =      "Semantics by Analogy for Illustrative Volume Visualization",
  author =     "Moritz Gerl and Peter Rautek and Tobias Isenberg and Eduard
               Gr\"{o}ller",
  year =       "2012",
  abstract =   "We present an interactive graphical approach for the
               explicit specification of semantics for volume
               visualization. This explicit and graphical specification of
               semantics for volumetric features allows us to visually
               assign meaning to both input and output parameters of the
               visualization mapping. This is in contrast to the implicit
               way of specifying semantics using transfer functions. In
               particular, we demonstrate how to realize a dynamic
               specification of semantics which allows to flexibly explore
               a wide range of mappings. Our approach is based on three
               concepts. First, we use semantic shader augmentation to
               automatically add rule-based rendering functionality to
               static visualization mappings in a shader program, while
               preserving the visual abstraction that the initial shader
               encodes. With this technique we extend recent developments
               that define a mapping between data attributes and visual
               attributes with rules, which are evaluated using fuzzy
               logic. Second, we let users define the semantics by analogy
               through brushing on renderings of the data attributes of
               interest. Third, the rules are specified graphically in an
               interface that provides visual clues for potential
               modifications. Together, the presented methods offer a high
               degree of freedom in the specification and exploration of
               rule-based mappings and avoid the limitations of a
               linguistic rule formulation.",
  month =      may,
  journal =    "Computers & Graphics",
  number =     "3",
  volume =     "36",
  pages =      "201--213",
  keywords =   "shader augmentation, semantic visualization mapping,
               illustrative visualization, Volume rendering",
  URL =        "https://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/research/publications/2012/Peter_2012_AIV/",
}