Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!rutgers!ucsd!net1!hutch
From: hutch@net1.ucsd.edu (Jim Hutchison)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: Request for info on octrees...
Keywords: v is voxels....
Message-ID: <1081@ucsd.EDU>
Date: 7 Aug 88 19:57:23 GMT
References: <1070@ucsd.EDU> <1074@ucsd.EDU> <157@edai.ed.ac.uk>
Sender: nobody@ucsd.EDU
Reply-To: hutch@net1.UUCP (Jim Hutchison)
Distribution: comp.graphics
Organization: UCSD EMU Project (Educational Microcomputer Unix)
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In article <157@edai.ed.ac.uk> ceb@edai (Colin Bridgewater) writes:
> Voxel seems to have been chosen in order to keep some continuity between
> 2D and 3D image processing. Pixel and Voxel are each respectively 'picture
> element' and 'volume element'. Since 'picture element' became 'pixel',
> why not call the 3D equivalent a 'voxel'. 

> Does this clear things up, or have I answered a non-existent problem (again).

Indeed the point in the name.  Unfortunately Voxels are not always as
similiar in size as pixels.  Pixels are well behaved little polygons
all the same size (squares, rectangles, hexagons, etc.).  Voxels are
optimally the size of the largest volume of similiar material/color
they can encompass.  Voxels are more a data structure than a sampling
region.  Or do I misunderstand pixels?

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