Computer Graphics from your pockets to your CAVE Achille Peternier, Ph. D. Student VRLab, EPFL, Switzerland

Plan 1.Introduction 2.Goals 3.Our solution 1.System architecture 2.Examples 3.Evaluation/Benchmark 4.Conclusion

1. Introduction (1) Unique framework for 3D graphics handheld devices, PDAs, mobile phones UMPCs, low profile PCs Desktop PCs, modern graphics accelerators CAVE systems, multi-display environments

1. Introduction (2) handheld devicesUMPCs low resources and computational power lack of 3D dedicated HW or poor performances Intel GMA 900/950 family OpenGL | ES OpenGL < 1.5 closed systems

1. Introduction (3) Desktop PCsCAVE systems Very heterogeneous HW NVidia, ATI, Intel, … OpenGL 1.1 -> OpenGL 3.0 Network architecture (and again heterogeneous HW) Stereographic rendering cutting performances

2. Goals (1) Concept Result Software Device Project

2. Goals (2) Reducing complexity and development times for cross-device graphics applications Making development and porting as simple as possible Keeping the same functionalities and performances across different platforms, or let the software automatically adapt it for us (models, GUIs, textures, shaders, etc.)

3. Our solution Mental Vision: a cross-device 2D/3D graphics engine: –Very simple interface (good learning curve) Maximizing effects reducing lines of code Minimizing differences among different platforms –Compact in sizes and fast in speed (important for low profile/mobile devices) –Robust (consistent results across different devices)

3. Our solution: architecture (1) 3D models Textures Animations Effects User application Mental Vision 2D/3D engine GUI Content adaptation Dynamic scene graph Handheld rendering PC rendering CAVE rendering Engine API

3. Our solution: architecture (2) Mental Vision 2D/3D engine Handheld rendering Fixed math OpenGL|ES (HW/SW) Mental Vision 2D/3D engine PC rendering OpenGL (1.1 -> 2.1) Fixed pipeline Fixed/Shader pipeline F/X

3. Our solution: architecture (3) Mental Vision 2D/3D engine CAVE rendering Network architecture

3. Our solution: architecture (4)

3. Our solution: PC example #include int main(int argc, char *argv[]) { MVISIO::init(NULL); MVNODE *bunny = MVISIO::load("bunny.mve"); MVISIO::clear(true, true, true); MVISIO::begin3D(NULL); bunny->pass(); MVISIO::end3D(); MVISIO::swap(); MVISIO::free(); return 0; } Initialize MVisio (NULL means auto-setup) Load a scene from native format Clear buffers, start a 3D rendering, tell MVisio to render the bunny entity, execute the rendering, swap back to front buffer Free resources

3. Our solution: PDA example #define MV_PDA #include int main(int argc, char *argv[]) { MVISIO::init(NULL); MVNODE *bunny = MVISIO::load("bunny.mve"); MVISIO::clear(true, true, true); MVISIO::begin3D(NULL); bunny->pass(); MVISIO::end3D(); MVISIO::swap(); _sleep(5000); MVISIO::free(); return 0; } Just define that before including MVisio, that’s all!

3. Our solution: CAVE example #define MV_CAVE #include int main(int argc, char *argv[]) { MVCLIENT *front = new MVCLIENT(); front->set IP(“ ”); front->setID(MV_FRONT); MVCLIENT *right = new MVCLIENT(); right->set IP(“ ”); right->setID(MV_RIGHT); // … MVISIO::init(NULL); MVNODE *bunny = MVISIO::load("bunny.mve");  Define that first Add CAVE sides here

3. Our solution: CAVE example  MVCLIENT::putUser(1.2, 1.6, 1.2); MVISIO::clear(true, true, true); MVISIO::begin3D(NULL); bunny->pass(); MVISIO::end3D(); MVISIO::swap(); _sleep(5000); MVISIO::free(); return 0; } Specify user’s head position in CAVE relative coordinates

3. Our solution: technical details Other aspects/details (like engine expansion, MR/VR related aspects, corollary tools, plugins, CAVE calibration, etc.): A. Peternier, F. Vexo, D. Thalmann, The Mental Vision framework: a platform for teaching, practicing and researching with Computer Graphics and Virtual Reality, LNCS Transactions on Edutainment, 2008The Mental Vision framework: a platform for teaching, practicing and researching with Computer Graphics and Virtual Reality A. Peternier, F. Vexo, D. Thalmann, Wearable Mixed Reality System In Less Than 1 Pound, In Proc. of the 12th Eurographics Symposium on Virtual Environments, Lisbon, Portugal, May 2006Wearable Mixed Reality System In Less Than 1 Pound A. Peternier, S. Cardin, F. Vexo, D. Thalmann, Practical Design and Implementation of a CAVE System, 2nd International Conference on Computer Graphics, Theory and Applications, GRAPP 2007, Barcelona, 2007Practical Design and Implementation of a CAVE System

3. Our solution: benchmark (1) Simple cross device application tracking fps and using three different models: classic static Standford bunny a building model (using many separated entities and transparencies) a 86 bones skinned, animated, textured virtual human Basic GUI (some text, a couple of buttons) We want to evaluate speed issues and visual consistency among different platforms.

3. Our solution: benchmark (2) PDA software rendering (OGL|ES Rasteroid 1.0 CL) Screen size: 320x240 Bunny: ~5.9 fps Building: ~9.3 fps V. human: ~6.7 fps

3. Our solution: benchmark (3) PDA hardware rendering (OGL|ES MBX-lite 1.0 CL) Screen size: 640x480 Bunny: ~23 fps Building: ~34 fps V. human: ~14 fps

3. Our solution: benchmark (4) PC hardware rendering (Nvidia GForce 8800 GT, Core2 2.4 GHz) Screen size: 640x480 Bunny: >1400 fps Building: >1000 fps V. human: ~560 fps

3. Our solution: benchmark (5) 2D GUI 3D rendering 4 side CAVE rendering (1 server PC, 4 clients) Screen size: 1024x768 (each) Nvidia 9800 GTX Bunny: >1400 fps Building: >1000 fps V. human: ~560 fps

4. Conclusion (1) 3D everywhere is possible today by using the correct approach and system architecture. Cross-device applications open new scenarios/applications, mainly when porting across different systems can be achieved “for free”.

4. Conclusion (2) Versatility doesn’t need to be sacrificed in the process.

Thank you …questions?