Tangible user interfaces for 3D clipping plane interaction with volumetric data

Abstract

Visualization via direct volume rendering is a potentially very powerful technique for exploring and interacting with large amounts of scientific data. However, the available two-dimensional (2D) interfaces make three-dimensional (3D) manipulation with such data very difficult. Many usability problems during interaction in turn discourage the widespread use of volume rendering as a scientific tool. In this paper, we present a more in-depth investigation into one specific interface aspect, i.e., the positioning of a clipping plane within volume-rendered data. More specifically, we propose three different interface prototypes that have been realized with the help of wireless vision-based tracking. These three prototypes combine aspects of 2D graphical user interfaces with 3D tangible interaction devices. They allow to experience and compare different user interface strategies for performing the clipping plane interaction task. They also provide a basis for carrying out user evaluations in the near future.