With parallel processing, high-quality images and animations can be rendered in reasonable times. This course reviewed the basic issues involved in rendering within a parallel or distributed computing environment, presented various methods for dividing a rendering problem into subtasks and distributing them efficiently to independent processors, then reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of
multiprocessor machines and networked
render farms for graphics rendering. Case studies demonstrated practical ways of dealing with the issues involved.
Prerequisites
Some knowledge of ray tracing, radiosity, and photon maps. No prior knowledge of parallel or distributed processing, although previous experience in
the area would be advantageous.
Topics
Basic issues involved in rendering in a parallel environment (task subdivision, load balancing, task communication, task migration, and data management), parallel rendering systems
for various task subdivision techniques in
two hardware environments (traditional
multiprocessor machine and render farm), and several successful applications of ray tracing, radiosity, and photon maps.
Organizer
Timothy Davis
Clemson University
Lecturers
Alan Chalmers
University of Bristol
Timothy Davis
Clemson University
Henrik Wann Jensen
Stanford University
