Showing papers on "Software rendering published in 1987"

A parallel processor architecture for graphics arithmetic operations

Abstract: Interactive 3D graphics applications require significant arithmetic processing to handle complex models, particularly if realistic rendering techniques are used. Current semiconductor technology cannot provide the necessary performance without some form of multi-processing.This paper describes a graphics processor architecture which can be configured with an arbitrary number of identical processors operating in parallel. Each of the parallel processors can be programmed identically as if it were a single processor system, substantially simplifying software development and allowing complex rendering functions to take advantage of the multiple processors. The architecture described is able to achieve extremely high performance while allowing the price/performance of the system to be optimized for a given application.Techniques are described for handling graphics command distribution, sequencing of commands which must be processed in order, parallel processing of graphics primitive picking, and handling inquiry (read-back) commands.

One Tool among the Many

Abstract: Sunbreak Productions has been around since 1978. It is a corporate production film house. In carrying out assignments, it is not a producer of computer graphic films. Rather it uses them whenever and wherever they can make a job better or easier, and that's becoming a more and more frequent occurrence, according to Dennis Aubrey, the firm's vice president and creative director. Aubrey had a heavy background in theater before he went into film work, so he often sees things in a special, more intimate way. He has learned when the latest techniques can do a better job than the older, slower methods. Video editing

Advances in computer graphics hardware

Abstract: The Eurographics hardware workshops have become an established forum for the exchange of information about the latest developments in computer graphics hardware, a field of growing importance. This volume contains papers representing a comprehensive record of the contributions to the fifth workshop at EG '90 in Lausanne. The first part is devoted to rendering machines. The papers in this part address techniques for accelerating the rendering of images and efficient ways of improving their quality. The second part, on ray tracing, describes algorithms and architectures for producing photorealistic images, with emphasis on ways of reducing the time needed for this computationally intensive task. The third part, on visualization systems, covers a number of topics, including voxel-based systems, radiosity, animation and special rendering techniques. The contributions show there is flourishing activity in the development of new algorithmic and architectural ideas and in absorbing the impact of VLSI technology. The increasing diversity of applications encourages new solutions, and graphics hardware has become a research area of high activity and importance.

A syntax-directed graphics editor

Abstract: When editing information in graphics form, where the graphics are governed by a graphics syntax, the user should not be required to draw the graphics representation, but only to specify the information that is to be represented. The editor should then use the syntax rules to convert that information to its graphics form automatically. This not only ensures that syntactically correct graphics are produced, but also frees the user from the time-consuming task of drawing. To put it another way, a graphics editor which incorporates a knowledge of the syntax of the graphs to be drawn should provide many of the advantages that syntax-directed structure editors provide to software developers. These considerations guided the design of CGEDIT, a syntax-directed editor for composition graphs.

On Using Computer Graphics for Solving MCDM-Problems

Abstract: In this paper we discuss the use of computer graphics in multiple criteria methods. A visual representation is a convenient and useful way to improve the quality of the user interface.

Graphics Controllers: An Overview

Abstract: Computer graphics is a topic of rapidly growing importance in the field of computer science. It has always been one of the most spectacular branches of computer technology. Since vision provides one of the richest method of communication, it is therefore of extreme importance to improve the quality of visual communication. Also for applications like three dimensional graphics, animation etc., a high performance graphics system is inevitable.Due to all these reasons, special purpose hardware is used along with general purpose microprocessors to design graphics workstations. With the advance in VLSI technology, this special purpose hardware has been designed using a variety of chips. Depending on the extent to which these chips can unload the host processor of graphics related activities, we have classified the chips into four generations. A survey of these generations is presented in this paper.