Data parallel volume rendering as line drawing

Abstract

In this paper we describe an algorithm for volume raytracing in a data parallel framework. The algorithm uses the idiom of line drawing to traverse the data set when evaluating the path-integrals corresponding to a raytracing of the volume. Since the rays of a parallel projection correspond to a single line instanced multiple times across the viewing plane the approach lends itself well to implementation on massively parallel computers. We have implemented this algorithm on the Princeton Engine (PE) and the Connection Machine CM2 computers and achieved interactive performance.