Algebraic design of multi-dimensional transfer function using transfer function synthesizer

Kawamura, Takuma ; Idomura, Yasuhiro   ; Miyamura, Hiroko  ; Takemiya, Hiroshi

In this paper, we propose a novel transfer function design interface for multivariate volume rendering. In the conventional multivariate volume rendering, GUI based transfer function design interfaces were limited to two-dimensional variables space. In order to design higher dimensional transfer functions in an interactive and intuitive manner, a Transfer Function Synthesizer (TFS) is developed. On the TFS, multi-dimensional transfer functions are generated by algebraic synthesis of one-dimensional transfer functions, which are designed based on the conventional GUIs or algebraic expressions. The TFS enables not only multivariate volume rendering but also general visualization techniques such as surface visualization and image composition within the framework of volume rendering. The TFS is implemented on the remote visualization system PBVR, and applied to various multivariate scalar volume data generated from nuclear applications.