A Maximum Enhancing Higher-Order Tensor Glyph

Abstract

Glyphs are a fundamental tool in tensor visualization, since they provide an intuitive geometric representation of the full tensor information. The Higher-Order Maximum Enhancing (HOME) glyph, a generalization of the second-order tensor ellipsoid, was recently shown to emphasize the orientational information in the tensor through a pointed shape around maxima. This paper states and formally proves several important properties of this novel glyph, presents its first three-dimensional implementation, and proposes a new coloring scheme that reflects peak direction and sharpness. Application to data from High Angular Resolution Diffusion Imaging (HARDI) shows that the method allows for interactive data exploration and confirms that the HOME glyph conveys fiber spread and crossings more effectively than the conventional polar plot.