Interactive rendering of volumetric data sets

Abstract

The bela architecture for interactive rendering of regularly structured volumetric data sets is presented. The proposed architecture is scalable and uses custom processors to achieve high-speed shading, projection, and composition of voxel primitives. A general purpose image composition network supports the accumulation of both volumetric and geometric elements into the final rendered scene. Data access contentions between processors are eliminated via the use of an enhanced dual object space and image space partitioning scheme that does not require replication or redistribution of rendered data. The bela architecture is intended for rendering large data sets and meets the performance requirements of a full frame interactive image generation system.