Real-Time Volume Deformations

Real-time free-form deformation tools are primarily based on surface or particle representations to allow for interactive modification and fast rendering of complex models. The efficient handling of volumetric representations, however, is still a challenge and has not yet been addressed sufficiently. Volumetric models, on the other hand, form an important class of representation in many applications. In this paper we present a novel approach to the real-time deformation of scalar volume data sets taking advantage of hardware supported 3D texture mapping. In a prototype implementation a modeling environment has been designed that allows for interactive manipulation of arbitrary parts of volumetric objects. In this way, any desired shape can be modeled and used subsequently in various applications. The underlying algorithms have wide applicability and can be exploited effectively for volume morphing and medical data processing.