virtual environment group

Real-Time Techniques For 3D Flow Visualization 

 

Project start:1998 
Funding: Austrian Science Foundation under contract no. P-12074-MAT 
Contact: Anton L. Fuhrmann 		 

Abstract

 Visualization of three-dimensional steady flow has to overcome a lot of problems to be effective. Among them are occlusion of distant details, lack of directional and depth hints and occlusion. In this paper we present methods which address these problems for real-time graphic representations applicable in virtual environments. We use dashtubes, i.e., animated, opacity-mapped streamlines, as visualization icon for 3D-flow visualization. We present a texture mapping technique to keep the level of texture detail along a streamline nearly constant even when the velocity of the flow varies considerably. An algorithm is described which distributes the dashtubes evenly in space. We apply magic lenses and magic boxes as interaction techniques for investigating densely filled areas without overwhelming the observer with visual detail. Implementation details of these methods and their integration in our virtual environment conclude the paper.   

Full Paper
Adobe Acrobat Document 518KB Real-Time Techniques For 3D Flow Visualization 
Adobe Acrobat Document 518KB
 		 

Animations
quicktime animations
Animations  showing magic boxes, magic lenses and adaptive texture-mapping. 

VRML objects
VRML 2.0 objects
VRML 2.0 objects  demonstrating opacity-mapped animated dashtubes and adaptive texture-mapping.

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