Random Per-Element Luminance Modulation for Improved Visual Tracking

Using random per-element luminance modulation can increase the visual salience of details in a range of visualizations (2D, 3D, and ND scalar, vector, and tensor fields). Although random luminance has been used in specific designs, its wide applicability isn´t reflected in visualizations, perhaps because it hasn´t yet been presented as a cross-cutting technique. Adding random-luminance contrast can benefit both static and animated visualizations. The article presents perceptual reasons for this technique´s effectiveness. This article has two accompanying videos, at http://youtu.be/TTaSFMvBgvg and http://youtu.be/Rx1oPMTpPA4, showing animations of cones moving through a weather simulation, with and without random luminance modulation.