Enhancing volume visualization with lightness anchoring theory

Volume rendering is an effective method for visualizing 3D data. However, it's still difficult to obtain an effective image, especially when there are complicated structures which may cause underexposure problems. Adjusting light sources and parameters adds computational cost, without alleviating the underexposure phenomenon. This paper presents the novel idea of applying lightness anchoring theory for volume visualization enhancement. An anchoring hypothesis, the Highest-Luminance-As-White rule, is adjusted to adapt our volume rendered image. After employing the lightness anchored optimization, underexposed areas can be revealed while still preserving the local depth relationship.

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