Visualizing the Surface of a Living Human Brain

A proposed method visualizes the surface appearance of living human brain tissue. The goal is to investigate whether realistic models of living anatomy are possible and, if so, whether they provide added value to anatomy education and training simulators. From calibrated photography of exposed brain tissue and suitable alternatives, experiments provided data for a bidirectional reflectance distribution function, which was then used for rendering. Employing a GPU, real-time visualization of the brain's surface supported ambient occlusion, advanced texturing, subsurface scattering, and specularity.

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