Guest Editors’ Introduction
Biomedical Applications: From Data Capture to Modeling Cindy Grimm ■ Oregon State University G. Elisabeta Marai ■ University of Pittsburgh
T
he incredible array of image and datacapture tools available to the scientific community is dramatically changing our understanding of biological processes. For example, imaging modalities such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging let us visualize and track complex biological processes such as beating hearts. Data capture is only part of the story, however. Just as calculus helps physicists understand and model the mechanical world, computational models can help us model complex biological systems and reason and make predictions about them. Computer graphics and visualization techniques and algorithms—from modeling to physically based animation—make this process possible. This special issue is dedicated to the multidisciplinary effort needed to build, verify, and understand biological models. We start with “Mesh Processing in Medical-Image Analysis—a Tutorial.” Rather than completely covering state-of-the-art techniques, Joshua Levine and his colleagues focus on introductory material for new audiences: modern scanning modalities, constructing geometric models, building 2D and 3D meshes to represent these domains, and important biological applications that use this imageto-mesh pipeline. In a timely illustration of this pipeline, Nahyup Kang and his colleagues present “Simulating Liver Deformation during Respiration Using Sparse Local Features.” Terry Yoo and his colleagues go a step further in “Visualizing Cells and Humans in 3D: Biomedical Image Analysis at Nanometer and Me-
20
September/October 2012
ter Scales.” Despite the difference in subject and scale, they find that the methods used for analysis and modeling are often remarkably similar. These methods derive from image processing, computer vision, and computer graphics techniques, including medical illustration, visualization, and rapid prototyping. From the applications end, in “uPy: A Ubiquitous CG Python API with Biological-Modeling Applications,” Ludovic Autin and his colleagues describe a publicly available Python extension module to simplify programming for science applications across graphics APIs such as Blender, Maya, Cinema4D, and DejaVu. In “Molli: Interactive Visualization for Exploratory Protein Analysis,” Sara Su and her colleagues describe a prototype system for interactive visualization and analysis of protein structures. Finally, in “A Practical Workflow for Making Anatomical Atlases for Biological Research,” Yong Wan and his colleagues use artistic tools to generate 3D anatomical atlases. In particular, they developed a mouse limb atlas to study the development of the mouse musculoskeletal system.
T
he range of topics covered in this issue highlights the wide range of challenges in applying existing computer graphics techniques to model biological data. With this analysis and formalization of our collective experiences, we hope to motivate computer graphics researchers to think about new problems and new approaches to persistent problems in biomedical modeling.
Published by the IEEE Computer Society
0272-1716/12/$31.00 © 2012 IEEE
Cindy Grimm is a senior research professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Oregon State University, where she moved in 2012 from Washington University in St. Louis. Her research interests are surface modeling and art-motivated interaction and rendering. Grimm has a PhD in computer science from Brown University. Contact her at
[email protected]. G. Elisabeta Marai is an assistant professor of computer science at the University of Pittsburgh and an adjunct assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute. Her research interests are computational modeling, data visualization, computer graphics, and their applications to other scientific disciplines. Marai has a PhD in computer science from Brown University. Contact her at
[email protected].
Showcase Your Multimedia Content on Computing Now! IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications seeks computer graphics-related multimedia content (videos, animations, simulations, podcasts, and so on) to feature on its Computing Now page, www.computer.org/portal/web/ computingnow/cga. If you’re interested, contact us at
[email protected]. All content will be reviewed for relevance and quality.
Selected CS articles and columns are also available for free at http://ComputingNow.computer.org.
EXECUTIVE STAFF PURPOSE: The IEEE Computer Society is the world’s largest association of computing professionals and is the leading provider of technical information in the field. MEMBERSHIP: Members receive the monthly magazine Computer, discounts, and opportunities to serve (all activities are led by volunteer members). Membership is open to all IEEE members, affiliate society members, and others interested in the computer field. COMPUTER SOCIETY WEBSITE: www.computer.org Next Board Meeting: 5–6 Nov., New Brunswick, NJ, USA
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President: John W. Walz* President-Elect: David Alan Grier;* Past President: Sorel Reisman;* VP, Standards Activities: Charlene (Chuck) Walrad;† Secretary: Andre Ivanov (2nd VP);* VP, Educational Activities: Elizabeth L. Burd;* VP, Member & Geographic Activities: Sattupathuv Sankaran;† VP, Publications: Tom M. Conte (1st VP);* VP, Professional Activities: Paul K. Joannou;* VP, Technical & Conference Activities: Paul R. Croll;† Treasurer: James W. Moore, CSDP;* 2011–2012 IEEE Division VIII Director: Susan K. (Kathy) Land, CSDP;† 2012– 2013 IEEE Division V Director: James W. Moore, CSDP;† 2012 IEEE Division Director VIII Director-Elect: Roger U. Fujii†
Executive Director: Angela R. Burgess; Associate Executive Director, Director, Governance: Anne Marie Kelly; Director, Finance & Accounting: John Miller; Director, Information Technology & Services: Ray Kahn; Director, Membership Development: Violet S. Doan; Director, Products & Services: Evan Butterfield; Director, Sales & Marketing: Chris Jensen
COMPUTER SOCIETY OFFICES Washington, D.C.: 2001 L St., Ste. 700, Washington, D.C. 20036-4928 Phone: +1 202 371 0101 • Fax: +1 202 728 9614 Email:
[email protected] Los Alamitos: 10662 Los Vaqueros Circle, Los Alamitos, CA 90720-1314 Phone: +1 714 821 8380 • Email:
[email protected] MEMBERSHIP & PUBLICATION ORDERS Phone: +1 800 272 6657 • Fax: +1 714 821 4641 • Email:
[email protected] Asia/Pacific: Watanabe Building, 1-4-2 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062, Japan Phone: +81 3 3408 3118 • Fax: +81 3 3408 3553 Email:
[email protected]
IEEE OFFICERS
President: Gordon W. Day; President-Elect: Peter W. Staecker; Past President: Moshe Kam; Secretary: Celia L. Desmond; Treasurer: Harold L. Flescher; President, Standards Association Board of Governors: Steven *voting member of the Board of Governors †nonvoting member of the Board of Governors M. Mills; VP, Educational Activities: Michael R. Lightner; VP, Membership & Geographic Activities: Howard E. Michel; VP, Publication Services & BOARD OF GOVERNORS Products: David A. Hodges; VP, Technical Activities: Frederick C. Mintzer; Term Expiring 2012: Elizabeth L. Burd, Thomas M. Conte, Frank E. IEEE Division V Director: James W. Moore, CSDP; IEEE Division VIII Ferrante, Jean-Luc Gaudiot, Paul K. Joannou, Luis Kun, James W. Moore, Director: Susan K. (Kathy) Land, CSDP; IEEE Division VIII Director-Elect: William (Bill) Pitts Roger U. Fujii; President, IEEE-USA: James M. Howard Term Expiring 2013: Pierre Bourque, Dennis J. Frailey, Atsuhiro Goto, André Ivanov, Dejan S. Milojicic, Paolo Montuschi, Jane Chu Prey, Charlene revised 22 May 2012 (Chuck) Walrad
IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications
21
