Stereoscopy has been very well known since the beginning of the 19th century. The theory is very simple: just present a left view of a scene to the left eye, and a right view to the right eye, and the viewer's brain perceives a three-dimensional view. In 2011, stereoscopy is a common experience, in the latest blockbuster movies and in systems designed for viewing 3D at home. Although the theory is simple, realization of a comfortable and convincing stereoscopic experience implies many subtle considerations, both aesthetics and technical. This course addresses those requirements in animation and real-time applications. It presents a comprehensive overview of the rendering techniques and explores artistic concepts to provide a solid understanding of stereoscopy and how to make it work most effectively for viewers. Topics include the standard stereo projection techniques, how stereo images are perceived by the viewer, creative ways to use stereo, and how to fix the common issues encountered when stereo is added to a graphics pipeline.

Level
Intermediate

Intended Audience
Technical artists and graphics developers who want to improve their understanding of stereoscopy art and technology to achieve outstanding 3D stereo experiences.

Prerequisites
Good knowledge of the graphics pipeline for animation or real-time applications.

Presenter(s)
Samuel Gateau, is a member of the content and technology group at NVIDIA, where he spends his energy and creativity pushing pixels and exploring high-end, real-time computer graphics with game, DCC, and CAD developers. Before joining NVIDIA, he worked in the virtual-reality industry on extravagant visual simulations, navigation systems, showrooms and museum applications.