Complementary Space for Enhanced Uncertainty and Dynamics Visualization

Abstract: Given a computer model of a physical object, it is often quite difficult to visualize and quantify any global effects on the shape representation caused by local uncertainty and local errors in the data. This problem is further amplified when dealing with hierarchical representations containing varying levels of detail and / or shapes undergoing dynamic deformations. In this paper, we compute, quantify and visualize the complementary topological and geometrical features of 3D shape models, namely, the tunnels, pockets and internal voids of the object. We find that this approach sheds a unique light on how a model is affected by local uncertainty, errors or modifications and show how the presence or absence of complementary shape features can be essential to an object's structural form and function.