“Interactive Massive Model Rendering” by Gobbetti, Slusallek, Dietrich, Marton, Pajarola, et al. …
Conference:
Type(s):
Title:
- Interactive Massive Model Rendering
Presenter(s)/Author(s):
Abstract:
Users consistently try to manage and display more data than any computing system allows, especially when they work with 3D models for films, games, CAD systems, medical imaging, seismic exploration, information spaces, etc. In this course, seven international researchers and practitioners present software and hardware strategies for real-time visualization of and interaction with massive models.
Even when they work with higher-performance computing systems, game and entertainment producers use a set of techniques to limit model size during real-time visualization and interaction sessions. However, polygon decimation, texture maps, and related techniques do not readily apply to domains where high levels of visual accuracy are essential. Such models can contain a billion polygons or voxels and millions of individually selectable objects.
Although the course addresses ray tracing and rasterization, its objective is to explore a systems approach. It focuses on system integration and optimization techniques that let extract higher performance, such as:
Software techniques to overcome performance and memory size limitations (kd-trees, occlusion culling, LODs, multi-threaded programming, memory-mapped files, display lists, cache coherence).
Computing system architecture (parallel-processor architectures, single and multi-GPU hardware, thin client, hardware occlusion culling, cell computers, multi-core CPUs).
Scalable system architecture (preprocessing, large user communities, model-configuration management, network transfer of basic geometry, variable form-factor display devices).
Practical implementation issues.
The course summarizes overall performance-improvement strategies, gives examples of industrial and academic approaches using both rasterization and ray tracing, and concludes with real-world experience in a commercial environment.
Additional Information:
Prerequisites
General knowledge of the difference between ray tracing and rasterization. Familiarity with computing-system architecture, graphics hardware, and parallel processing.
Intended Audience
This course is intended for users of complex models and practitioners who build real-time 3D applications. The techniques are applicable to any community that commonly reduces model detail (games, for example) or works only with model chunks (CAD, for example).
