Computer graphics technology has become much more available with the advent of powerful, low-cost color computers like Apple’s Macintosh. This availability encourages the use and new applications of the technology. “The purpose of this book is to present the techniques of computer graphics, image synthesis and computer animation necessary for visualizing phenomena and mechanisms in sciences and medicine.” The book is timely; it will help bring you abreast of this rapidly changing field and will show you how the technology is being used. It is also a good model for writing an annotated bibliography. Each of the 18 chapters is well organized, has a commentary written by a specialist, and includes an overview, a research update, and an extensive bibliography. Some of the figures are in color. It would be nice if all references with illustrations were available on a CD-ROM, but that is wishful thinking.

Missing are a chapter on graphic standards and an index. Readers who need standards information can find it in the ACM Transactions on Computer Graphics, which has a standards column.

The chapter on “Graphic Systems Architecture” is a historical overview. It highlights three milestones: Sutherland’s 1963 analysis of interactive displays; Xerox Parc’s Alto and its bit-block data transfer programs (1974), still used in today’s computers; and Clark’s 1982 Geometry Engine integrated circuit.

Efficient processing of objects depends on good data structures and algorithms. The “Algorithmic Geometry” chapter discusses several common problems and illustrative examples.

“Surface Visualization” lists the graphic tools needed for defining and displaying surfaces. It describes sfumato techniques and special effects for improving the display of transition areas on surfaces.

“Solid Modeling” is a good overview of the subject, including its history and a summary of the main representation methods. Sweep, constructive, boundary representation, and decomposition methods are covered in more detail. The chapter on “Finite Element Methods” covers the boundary value problem, numerical calculations, and an introduction to nonlinear and dynamic analysis.

“Visualizing Sampled Volume Data” describes methods used to represent three-dimensional data. Simulations and experiments produce data of this type. Creative use of color, shading, and other techniques is illustrated. The author expects that parallel processing and hierarchical data structures will be important future research topics.

The next chapter covers “Special Models for Natural Objects.” Fractal geometry has been used heavily for modeling objects that appear in nature, such as mountains and coastlines. This approach has two benefits; first, as the object is enlarged, more and more structure is shown, and second, only a few parameters are required to specify the model. Other methods are also described.

Computer simulation is usually used to determine how a model varies over time. Animation is a good way of visualizing the changes. Computers have been used extensively to animate algorithms and scientific situations. Animation is accomplished by using a set of images and interpolating or by specifying the motion algorithmically. The chapter on “Computer Animation” does not mention the extensive work in algorithm animation at Brown University.

The following chapter discusses “Robotics Methods for Task-Level and Behavioral Animation.” One must be able to predict the motion of a robot to avoid collisions. The animation is done by traditional methods, by simulating the laws of physics, or by simulating laws of behavior that govern the interaction between objects.

According to “Graphic Representations of Numerical Simulations,” graphical tools that simply display arrays of numbers as three-dimensional curves are no longer adequate. A structured database and criteria (elements, nodes, slices, iso-lines, and iso-surfaces) to retrieve data are required.

Fluid dynamics researchers are using visualization techniques for hypersonic flows, for turbulence, and for flow in hydraulic turbines. “Visualization of Flow Simulations” describes this work.

Computed tomography and nuclear medicine scans and magnetic resonance images rely on image processing and visualization techniques. Specific medical applications are given in “Visualization and Manipulation of Medical  Images.” 

Since 1968, Lindenmayer systems have been used in simulation and visualization of multicellular organisms. “Botanical Structures and Processes” highlights extensions that overcome prior limitations.

“Molecular Structures in Chemistry” describes molecular graphics, which investigates molecular structure, interaction, and function, and allows viewing of three-dimensional models of complex chemical compounds such as proteins and pharmaceuticals. “Graphics Visualization and Artificial Vision” describes technology that is particularly important in the selection of components during automated manufacturing and in guiding robots. The strength of computer vision is its ability to manipulate natural scenes, but the models are simple. The strength of computer graphics is its modeling, but it is based on heuristics. Drawing on both of these techniques results in better models, which are covered in the chapter on “Computer Graphics and Computer Vision.”

“Graphics Simulation in Robotics” describes the goals of robotic simulation. The problems of kinematics, collision detection, and simulation of sensors are discussed. Finally, “Modeling Automated Product Assembly” details the characteristics of a program that simulates and helps visualize a manufacturing assembly line.