In this paper we attempt to review the current technology of 3 -D accelerators for animating graphics used in games and visual simulation systems, together with associated techniques and software architectures. Topics covered include OpenGl, DirectX, anti-aliasing, motion blur and depth of field. A summary of work in progress is give in the conclusions section.

In this paper we propose a topology for continuous time Σ∆ modulators. Unlike the modulators presented until now, they exhibit no peaking in their signal transfer function. Instead it achieves a ‘flat’ STF with the desired anti-aliasing properties and with small internal nodes signal levels. Now, a simple filter, e.g. a first-order low-pass filter can precede the modulator to prevent out of ban...

We describe software techniques that will enable Open GL capable graphics cards to implement antialiasing and depth of field effects in software. The methods allow any hardware facilities that are available on the graphics card to be used to improve performance but do not require hardware support in order to work.

For depth of field rasterization, it is often desired to have an efficient tile versus triangle test, which can conservatively compute which samples on the lens that need to execute the sample-in-triangle test. We present a novel test for this, which is optimal in the sense that the region on the lens cannot be further reduced. Our test is based on removing half-space regions of the (u,v)-space...

Resampling methods for irregularly sampled data are examined. A distinction is made between simple and complex methods. Simple methods such as Sample&Hold (S&H) and Nearest Neighbor Resampling (NNR) use only one irregular sample for one resampled observation. The advantage of simple methods is that they are robust and do not introduce a bias in the variance. A theoretical analysis as well as si...

Volumetric cloudscapes are prohibitively expensive to render in real time without extensive optimisations. Previous approaches render the clouds to an offscreen buffer at one quarter resolution and update a fraction of the pixels per frame, drawing the remaining pixels by temporal reprojection. We present an alternative approach, reducing the number of raymarching steps and adding a randomly ji...

Many problems correspond to the classical control task of determining the appropriate control action to take, given some (sequence of) observations. One standard approach to learning these control rules, called behavior cloning, involves watching a perfect operator operate a plant, and then trying to emulate its behavior. In the experimental learning approach, by contrast, the learner rst guess...

Silhouettes have many applications in computer graphics such as non-photorealistic edge rendering, fur rendering, shadow volume creation, and anti-aliasing. The number of edges, s, in the silhouette of a model observed from a point is therefore useful in analyzing such algorithms. This paper examines, from a theoretical viewpoint, a menagerie of objects with interesting silhouettes (including t...