Time-critical multiresolution volume rendering using 3D texture mapping hardware

This paper presents a LOD selection algorithm for multiresolution volume rendering using 3D texture mapping hardware. The goal of the algorithm is to select appropriate LODs automatically from a volume hierarchy so that the rendering speed will match the user's desired frame rate. To achieve this goal, we devise an intra-frame predictive-reactive scheme, which controls the rendering time by collecting run-time performance statistics and performing dynamic LOD selections. Our algorithm takes into account user-specified volume importance criteria when distributing the time budget, so regions of interest can be rendered at a higher quality. Experiments showed that our algorithm can control the rendering speed with less than 10% of error from the user's target frame rate.