Matte volumes for selective data visualization

The matte volumes system uses a volume renderer, surface renderer, and slice viewer for the exploration and visualization of three-dimensional scalar field data. The size and complexity of the volume data pose an interesting challenge to the ideal of providing the scientist with a system which automatically focuses on regions of interest and accurately visualizes the data from any angle in real time. Matte volumes take a step in the direction by providing the scientist with tools for exploring the data and focusing on regions of interest. Matte volumes are a way of specifying the regions of interest.