Synthesizing an Image of Fibers

One or more processor-readable storage devices containing processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a first set of fiber parameters for a computational model of interactions between light and fibers, said first set of fiber parameters describing a plurality of real fibers;
• modifying the first set of fiber parameters, to produce a second set of fiber parameters describing a plurality of modified fibers;
• simulating, using the model and the second set of fiber parameters, how light would interact with the modified fibers;
• and
• rendering, based on the result of the simulation, a synthetic image showing the appearance of the modified fibers.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• at least one processor adapted to:
• obtain a first set of fiber parameters for a computational model of interactions between light and fibers, said first set of fiber parameters describing a plurality of real fibers;
• modify the first set of fiber parameters, to produce a second set of fiber parameters describing a plurality of modified fibers;
• simulate, using the model and the second set of fiber parameters, how light would interact with the modified fibers;
• render, based on the result of the simulation, a synthetic image showing the appearance of the modified fibers;
• and
• store the rendered synthetic image in the memory.