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A comprehensive and user‐friendly framework for 3D‐data visualisation in invertebrates and other organisms
Author(s) -
Semple Thomas L.,
Peakall Rod,
Tatarnic Nikolai J.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.20938
Subject(s) - workflow , visualization , computer science , presentation (obstetrics) , data science , human–computer interaction , data presentation , data visualization , volume (thermodynamics) , biology , biological data , 3d model , high resolution , computer graphics (images) , data mining , artificial intelligence , bioinformatics , database , remote sensing , documentation , quantum mechanics , radiology , programming language , geology , medicine , physics
Methods for 3D‐imaging of biological samples are experiencing unprecedented development, with tools such as X‐ray micro‐computed tomography (μCT) becoming more accessible to biologists. These techniques are inherently suited to small subjects and can simultaneously image both external and internal morphology, thus offering considerable benefits for invertebrate research. However, methods for visualising 3D‐data are trailing behind the development of tools for generating such data. Our aim in this article is to make the processing, visualisation and presentation of 3D‐data easier, thereby encouraging more researchers to utilise 3D‐imaging. Here, we present a comprehensive workflow for manipulating and visualising 3D‐data, including basic and advanced options for producing images, videos and interactive 3D‐PDFs, from both volume and surface‐mesh renderings. We discuss the importance of visualisation for quantitative analysis of invertebrate morphology from 3D‐data, and provide example figures illustrating the different options for generating 3D‐figures for publication. As more biology journals adopt 3D‐PDFs as a standard option, research on microscopic invertebrates and other organisms can be presented in high‐resolution 3D‐figures, enhancing the way we communicate science.