CS 480/586 - Computer Graphics II

Fall 2004

Description: The creation of realistic images from 3D models is central to the development of computer graphics. The ray tracing algorithm has become one of the most popular and powerful techniques for creating photo-realistic images. Ray tracing's simplicity, elegance and ease of implementation make it one of the most important image generation algorithms in computer graphics. This class will explore in detail the algorithmic components of ray tracing.

These include

• Object representations
• Object-ray intersections
• Viewing/camera models
• Shading models
• Reflection & refraction models
• Transport theory
• Acceleration techniques
• 2D/3D texture mapping
• Anti-aliasing & filtering

Students will implement many of these components in their class programming projects.

Images made by the students!

Location - Matheson 408

Time - Thursday, 6:00 PM &rarr 8:50 PM

Instructor

Dr. David Breen
University Crossing 114
david AT cs.drexel.edu
215-895-1626


Office Hours - Wednesdays, 4PM &rarr 5:30 PM

Textbooks

• An Introduction to Ray Tracing, Andrew S. Glassner (ed.), Morgan Kaufmann, 1989
• Introduction to Computer Graphics, by James D. Foley, Andries van Dam, et al. Addison-Wesley, 1994

Grade

Graduate Section

• Programming Assignments - 80%
• In-class Presentation - 10%
• In-class Assignments - 10%

  Undergraduate Section

• Programming Assignments - 90%
• In-class Assignments - 10%

Each graduate student will present a research paper in class.

Choose a paper from this list. It is a much shorter version of this list.

Each student will prepare a summary of the paper and a question to ask the presenter

Assignments due Sunday at 11:59PM
  Post images and code on the web
  E-mail me the URL

Late Policy

• One letter grade off - up to one week late.
• Two letter grades off after that. All assignments due last day of classes at 5 PM.
• No Incompletes!

Week 1 - 9/30/04

• Read Glassner: Chapters 1 & 7
• Read Foley et al.: Chapters 6, 14.6, 14.7
• Lecture Topics - Class Logistics, Ray Tracing Fundamentals, Intersection Algorithms
• Programming Assignment 1 - Basic ray tracer

Week 2 - 10/7/04

• Read Glassner: Chapter 2
• Read Foley et al.: Chapters 5, 9.1
• Lecture Topics - Polygonal Models, Transformations and Hierarchical Models
• Programming Assignment 2 - Add triangle mesh models with transformations
• Assignment 1 due 10/10/04

Week 3 - 10/14/04

• Prof. Breen out of town.

Week 4 - 10/21/03

• Read Foley et al.: Chapters 11, 14.0 &rarr 14.2
• Read research paper, and prepare summary and question
  • L.M. Sobierajski and A.E. Kaufman, "Volumetric Ray Tracing," 1994 Symposium on Volume Visualization Proceedings, Oct. 1994, pp. 11-18
• Lecture Topics - Color, Light and Shading Models
• Programming Assignment 3 - Add diffuse/specular shading model with point lights
• Assignment 2 due 10/24/04

Week 5 - 10/28/04

• Read Glassner: Chapter 6
• Read research paper, and prepare summary and question
  • P. Hanrahan, "Ray Tracing Algebraic Surfaces," Proc. SIGGRAPH '83, July 1983, pp. 83-90
• Lecture Topics - Acceleration Techniques
• Student presentation 1 - Art Widmann
  • Come to class with one-paragraph summary of and one question about the Sobierajski and Kaufman paper
• Programming Assignment 4 - Add an acceleration technique
• Assignment 3 due 10/31/04

Week 6 - 11/4/04

• Read Glassner: Chapter 5
• Lecture Topics - Sampling & Anti-aliasing
• D. Luebke's sampling notes
• Read research paper, and prepare summary and question
  • M. Potmesil and I. Chakravarty, "Modeling Motion Blur in Computer-Generated Images," Proc. SIGGRAPH '83, July 1983, pp. 389-99
• Student presentation 2 - Shailaja Kaveti
  • Come to class with one-paragraph summary of and one question about the Hanrahan paper

Week 7 - 11/11/04

• Read Glassner: Chapter 3
• Related paper
  • P. Heckbert, "Survey of Texture Mapping," IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, Vol. 6, No. 11, Nov. 1986, pp. 56-67
• Lecture Topics - 2D Texture Mapping
• Read research paper, and prepare summary and question
  • K. Novins, F. Sillion and D. Greenberg, "An Efficient Method for Volume Rendering using Perspective Projection," Computer Graphics (San Diego Workshop on Volume Visualization), Vol. 24, No. 5, Nov. 1990, pp. 95-102
• Student presentation 3 - Dmitriy Bespalov
  • Come to class with one-paragraph summary of and one question about the Potmesil and Chakravarty paper.
• Programming Assignment 5 - Add adaptive supersampling/anti-aliasing
• Assignment 4 due 11/14/04

Week 8 - 11/18/04

• Related paper
  • K. Perlin, "An Image Synthesizer," Proc. SIGGRAPH '85, July 1985, pp. 287 - 296
• Lecture Topics - Procedural & 3D Texture Mapping
• Student presentation 4 - Ilya Braude
  • Come to class with one-paragraph summary of and one question about the Novins et al. paper
• Programming Assignment 6 - Add 2D and 3D texture mapping
• Assignment 5 due 11/21/04

Week 9 - 12/2/04

• Read Glassner: Chapter 4
• Lecture Topics - Hall Shading Model
• Programming Assignment 7 - Add shadows and reflections
• Assignment 6 due 12/1/04

Week 10 - 12/9/04

• Read Foley et al.: Chapter 14.8, 14.9
• Lecture Topics - Volume Rendering, Non-photorealistic Rendering & Radiosity
• Assignment 7 due 12/10/04

Last modified on November 11, 2004.