Depth peeling algorithm for the distance field computation of overlapping objects

Abstract

This article describes a fast and hardware-accelerated voxelization algorithm which utilizes depth and stencil buffers. The algorithm is an extension of the depth peeling approach. It does not constrain the complexity or geometry of voxelized objects and, unlike other depth peeling methods, works correctly for solids that overlap each other. The output of the algorithm is a signed distance field, which can be a grid or an octree containing an approximation of the distance to the surface of a solid. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.