Definition of Computer Graphics Computer aided synthesis of pictures from non-pictorial form Related fields Image Processing Computer Aided Design (CAD) Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM) Computer Vision Image Processing Visualization Programs, data, interactive devices Camera, sensors Displays, film recorders, plotters, printers Printers, removable disks, etc Symbolic computation Visualization CAM Computer Vision CAD

Computer Graphics Goals Realism Interactivity Real-time image generation Sometimes these goals are mutually exclusive (more realism = more calculations = less possibility of real-time image creation)

Distinctiveness of CG Dynamic environment – real-time image support Interactive environment for The creator The consumer Simulation environment Provides an environment for visualizing large quantities of data.

Computer Graphics “Operations Modeling Coordinates of the ‘corners’ of objects Primitives (2 & 3D geometric objects) Equations that define the 2 & 3D shape of objects Attributes (color, surface texture, etc.)

Computer Graphics “Operations” Storing (first in memory), then on disk Manipulating Change shape Change position Change characteristics Rendering– create a picture by applying an algorithmic version of the physics of the real world to create the artificial image.

Computer Graphics “Operations” Viewing – display scene from various viewpoints

Major application areas Business graphics Much of the profit of CG comes from this area Low quality (and simple) bar charts, line graphs, pie charts, presentation graphics systems Much effort spent on hardware development (overhead display panels, film recorders) & software (charting & presentation graphics) to support this area

Major application areas Computer-aided design & computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) Virtual Plant design - http://www.cadsystems.com/archive/0003f03.html 777 design – http://www.boeing.com/commercial/777family/background.html Circuit design and layout - http://www.automationstudio.com/ The Boeing 777 is the first jetliner to be 100 percent digitally designed using three-dimensional computer graphics. Throughout the design process, the airplane was "pre-assembled" on the computer, eliminating the need for a costly, full-scale mock-up.

Major application areas Data plotting & visualization “see” the structure of massive data sets Genomics - http://www.neurophys.wisc.edu/~cozzi/2cb.html Computer vision - http://www.ri.cmu.edu/project_lists/index.html See plate 14 & page 9

Major application areas Entertainment Film makingToy Story, TRON, Star Wars, Twister, Perfect Storm, Jurassic Park III - http://cgw.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=Articles&Subsection=Display&ARTICLE_ID=108471 Video Games - http://graphics.stanford.edu/ Music Videos Morphing – transform one object into another -http://www.cs.clemson.edu/~rmg/homepage.html

Major application areas Computer Art Paintbrush programs Graphics tablet (digitizer) Stylus (brush shapes, sizes, colors) http://cgw.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=Articles&Subsection=Display&ARTICLE_ID=108502

Reasons for using of CG User can take in more information Tables versus graphs Easy to make changes Circuit design Can simulate Auto design Flight simulators - http://berkelium.com/OpenGL/flight.html Can do the impossible Not obey the laws of physics Captain Kirk and USS Enterprise travel through spiral interior of DNA molecule 1. H&B p12 1.18 H&B p6 1.5 CGW 6/97 p58 H&B p18 1.35

Why is CG hard? Computationally expensive Still developing new algorithms for realism Regular objects easy Surface of revolution Surface texture Toys vs people Texture mapping See plate 22, 23, 24, 25.

Why so Hard, cont. Imperfections Reflectivity Matt surfaces versus specular surfaces Fur, hair, etc.

Why so hard continued Motion Fur, Fire, Fern Fun Model by hand – animators and key frames Model by physical equations Motion capture http://cgw.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=Articles&Subsection=Display&ARTICLE_ID=108465 Fur, Fire, Fern Fun Dynamic systems - http://cgw.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=Articles&Subsection=Display&ARTICLE_ID=108473 “grow” the processes – particle systems, etc