Projects

On this page:

• Visualization of Large-Scale Multidimensional Data
• Virtual Environments
• Reconstruction of Dragonfly Take-off
• Diffuse Coronary Artery Disease Detection
• Early Lung Disease Detection Alliance
• Visualization of Vascular Structures
• Large-scale Visualization of Arterial Trees
• 3D Computer Games
• Tensor Field Visualization
• Vector Field Visualization (FAnToM)

Visualization of Large-Scale Multidimensional Data

Multidimensional data can be challenging in terms of identifying a comprehensible, easy-to-interpret visualization. Data sources, such as general recognition theory, can generate millions of these multidimensional data sets that need to be visualized all at the same time. The sample image shows a parallel coordinate plot of such a data set ^P19.

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Virtual Environments

Virtual environments for presenting a specific model, such as an architectural design, or for repetative testing in which subjects need to be exposed to a specific scenario can be a valuable tool. In the latter case it is of upmost importance that the scenario is exactly identical for every subject. The different displays in the Appenzeller Visualization laboratory combined with the available software provide the perfect basis for these environments ^C25.

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Reconstruction of Dragonfly Take-off

In order to reconstruct and study the flight characteristics of a dragonfly during take-off, the dragonfly can be captured using high-speed cameras from different angles to reconstruct the geometry of the body and wings. Using a flow simulation with this geometry as boundary condition the air flow around the wings can be computed and a suitable visualization reveals the properties that allow the dragonfly at take off ^J12.

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Diffuse Coronary Artery Disease Detection

The general objective of this project is to develop a novel rationale for diagnosis of diffuse coronary artery disease (DCAD) using clinical non-invasive imaging of the coronary arteries. The indices of diagnosis will be validated in studies of an atherosclerotic porcine model with DCAD. Our unique algorithms for accurately extracting morphometric data from computerized tomography angiography (CTA) images of normal and disease patients along with our quantative approach uniquely position us to undertake this research ^J5,J6.

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Early Lung Disease Detection Alliance

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation and its partners, Riverain Medical, Wright State University and University Hospitals Health System, have joined together to form the Early Lung Disease Detection Alliance (ELDDA), a multidisciplinary research and commercialization program that will develop, test (through clinical trials), and bring to market new image-analysis systems that permit the early detection of lung cancer and other lung diseases. This computer-aided detection (CAD) system will be applied to the most widely available and used imaging exam, the chest x-ray. The fight against lung cancer is waged on three major fronts: prevention, detection and treatment. The goal of this collaboration is to detect disease at an early stage (i.e. stage I for lung cancer), a necessary step to improve the treatment and survival of lung cancer patients and those at risk for lung cancer throughout Ohio ^J11.

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Visualization of Vascular Structures

Cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease, are high risk factors for cardiac pain and death. We implemented a visualization software that enables interactive 3-D visualization of the cardiac vasculature retrieved using CT scanning technology, and an interactive flight through the vessel. Bifurcation angles and radii of the vessels can be measured while exploring the tree. Areas of high risk that could cause potential problems can be identified by this method. The project is conducted in collaboration with Dr. Ghassan Kassab's lab at the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Indiana University Purdue University, who provided the data set ^P11.

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Large-scale Visualization of Arterial Trees

Current CT scanner allow the retrieval of vessel only up to a certain point due to the limited resolution. Recent techniques developed by Benjamin Kaimovitz et al. allow the extension of such scans down to the vessels at the capillary level, resulting in a model of the entire arterial vasculature. Of course, such a model is enormous in size challenging the visualization. We implemented a visualization software that is capable of handling a model with several GBs in size, exceeding the main memory of desktop computers. The software is highly optimized for tree shaped geometrical objects to achieve the best rendering performance possible ^J3.

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3D Computer Games

Computer games are in a sense an example of virtual environments. In order to facilitate a fully immersive experience, we developed computer games that support quad-buffered stereo. Combined with, for example, 3D-capable displays and active shutter glasses, these games provide a truely 3D experience. Similarly, existing games and game engines can be ported to support such 3D capabilities, such as Cube 2. With Cube 2 being open source, we adapted its game engine to support 3D stereo. The adapted version can be downloaded, which includes Windows and Linux binaries, as well as the source code ^C22.

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Tensor Field Visualization

The analysis and visualization of tensor fields is an advancing area in scientific visualization. Topology based methods that investigate the eigenvector fields of second order tensor fields have gained increasing interest in recent years. To complete the topological analysis, we developed an algorithm for detecting closed hyper-streamlines as an important topological feature ^BC5.

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Vector Field Visualization (FAnToM)

FAnToM (Field Analysis using Topological Methods) is a software system that allows a user to explore vector fields by applying different analysis and visualization algorithms. Among other algorithms, it is capable of analyzing the topology of a 2-D or 3-D vector field, including complex structures, such as closed streamlines. This greatly helps a user to comprehend the structure of complex vector fields which could not be achieved by traditional visualization methods ^P6.