Parameter-controlled volume thinning

The availability of large 3D datasets has made volume thinning essential for compact representation of shapes. The density of the skeletal structure resulting from the thinning process depends on the application. Current thinning techniques do not allow control over the density and can therefore address only specific applications. In this paper, we describe an algorithm which uses a thinness parameter to control the thinning process and thus the density of the skeletal structure. We present applications from CFD and medical visualization and show how the skeletal structure can be used in these domains. We also illustrate a technique for constructing a centerline for surgical navigation. (C) 1999 Academic Press.