Investigation of Volume Rendering Algorithms

In the past few years, volume visualization has emerged as a powerful technique for the representation, manipulation, and rendering of volume data. Unlike traditional graphics techniques, which represent 3D objects as geometric surfaces and edges commonly approximated by polygons and lines, from the volumetric point of view, volume data is considered as a set of 3D entities that may have information inside them, thus geometric representation appears to be unsatisfactory. On the one hand, these volumetric entities might not consist of surfaces and edges, and on the other hand, they may be too voluminous to be represented geometrically. Volume visualization techniques provide the mechanisms that make it possible to reveal and explore the inner or unseen structures of volumetric data and allow visual insight into transparent and complex datasets. It enables the viewer to fully reveal the internal structure of 3D data. Volume rendering is recognized as a valuable technique but considered too slow to be generally useful. The performance equation is changing rapidly and fast PCs can do software volume rendering of small volumes with acceptable performance.