Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026

Using High Resolution Computed Tomography to Visualize the Three Dimensional Structure and Function of Plant Vasculature
Published on: April 5, 2013
Noise-based volume rendering for the visualization of multivariate volumetric data
Rostislav Khlebnikov1, Bernhard Kainz, Markus Steinberger
1Graz University of Technology.
Abstract:
Analysis of multivariate data is of great importance in many scientific disciplines. However, visualization of 3D spatially-fixed multivariate volumetric data is a very challenging task. In this paper we present a method that allows simultaneous real-time visualization of multivariate data. We redistribute the opacity within a voxel to improve the readability of the color defined by a regular transfer function, and to maintain the see-through capabilities of volume rendering. We use predictable procedural noise--random-phase Gabor noise--to generate a high-frequency redistribution pattern and construct an opacity mapping function, which allows to partition the available space among the displayed data attributes. This mapping function is appropriately filtered to avoid aliasing, while maintaining transparent regions. We show the usefulness of our approach on various data sets and with different example applications. Furthermore, we evaluate our method by comparing it to other visualization techniques in a controlled user study. Overall, the results of our study indicate that users are much more accurate in determining exact data values with our novel 3D volume visualization method. Significantly lower error rates for reading data values and high subjective ranking of our method imply that it has a high chance of being adopted for the purpose of visualization of multivariate 3D data.
Related Concept Videos
Unsoundness of Aggregate due to Volume Change
Finding Volume Using Cross-Sectional Area
Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...
Sound as Pressure Waves
The pressure fluctuation depends on the difference in displacements between the successive points in the...
Control Volume and System Representations
The control volume approach considers a stationary region in space through which fluid flows. This region is bounded by a control surface. For instance, in the case of water flowing...
Uniform Depth Channel Flow

