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What Is Computer Graphics?

Computer graphics deals with creating digital images using computers. It involves both hardware like graphics cards and software like Maya. Computer graphics has evolved from simple line drawings to photorealistic 3D animations. Major developments include the introduction of raster graphics, 3D rendering, specialized graphics hardware like Nvidia cards, and standards like OpenGL that expanded applications in gaming, movies, and virtual reality.

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Rabia Ansari
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80 views21 pages

What Is Computer Graphics?

Computer graphics deals with creating digital images using computers. It involves both hardware like graphics cards and software like Maya. Computer graphics has evolved from simple line drawings to photorealistic 3D animations. Major developments include the introduction of raster graphics, 3D rendering, specialized graphics hardware like Nvidia cards, and standards like OpenGL that expanded applications in gaming, movies, and virtual reality.

Uploaded by

Rabia Ansari
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What is Computer Graphics?

1
Objectives

• In this lecture, we explore what computer


graphics is about and survey some
application areas
• We start with a historical introduction

2
Computer Graphics
• Computer graphics deals with all aspects
of creating images with a computer
­ Hardware
­ Software
­ Applications

3
Example

• Where did this image come from?

• What hardware/software did we need to


produce it?
4
Preliminary Answer

• Application: The object is an artist’s


rendition of the sun for an animation to be
shown in a domed environment
(planetarium)
• Software: Maya for modeling and
rendering but Maya is built on top of
OpenGL
• Hardware: PC with graphics card for
modeling and rendering
5
Basic Graphics System

Output device

Input devices
Image formed in FB

6
CRT

Can be used either as a line-drawing


device (calligraphic) or to display contents
of frame buffer (raster mode)
7
Computer Graphics: 1950-1960

• Computer graphics goes back to the


earliest days of computing
­ Strip charts
­ Pen plotters
­ Simple displays using A/D converters to go
from computer to calligraphic CRT
• Cost of refresh for CRT too high
­ Computers slow, expensive, unreliable

8
Computer Graphics: 1960-1970

• Wireframe graphics
­ Draw only lines
• Sketchpad
• Display Processors
• Storage tube

wireframe representation
of sun object

9
Sketchpad

• Ivan Sutherland’s PhD thesis at MIT


­ Recognized the potential of man-machine
interaction
­ Loop
• Display something
• User moves light pen
• Computer generates new display
­ Sutherland also created many of the now
common algorithms for computer graphics

10
Display Processor

• Rather than have the host computer try to


refresh display use a special purpose computer
called a display processor (DPU)

• Graphics stored in display list (display file) on


display processor
• Host compiles display list and sends to DPU
11
Direct View Storage Tube

• Created by Tektronix
­ Did not require constant refresh
­ Standard interface to computers
• Allowed for standard software
• Plot3D in Fortran
­ Relatively inexpensive
• Opened door to use of computer graphics for CAD
community

12
Computer Graphics: 1970-1980

• Raster Graphics
• Beginning of graphics standards
­ IFIPS
• GKS: European effort
– Becomes ISO 2D standard
• Core: North American effort
– 3D but fails to become ISO standard

• Workstations and PCs

13
Raster Graphics

• Image produced as an array (the raster) of


picture elements (pixels) in the frame
buffer

14
Raster Graphics

• Allows us to go from lines and wire frame


images to filled polygons

15
PCs and Workstations

• Although we no longer make the


distinction between workstations and PCs,
historically they evolved from different
roots
­ Early workstations characterized by
• Networked connection: client-server model
• High-level of interactivity
­ Early PCs included frame buffer as part of user
memory
• Easy to change contents and create images

16
Computer Graphics: 1980-1990

Realism comes to computer graphics

smooth shading environment bump mapping


mapping
17
Computer Graphics: 1980-1990

• Special purpose hardware


­ Silicon Graphics geometry engine
• VLSI implementation of graphics pipeline

• Industry-based standards
­ PHIGS
­ RenderMan
• Networked graphics: X Window System
• Human-Computer Interface (HCI)

18
Computer Graphics: 1990-2000

• OpenGL API
• Completely computer-generated feature-
length movies (Toy Story) are successful
• New hardware capabilities
­ Texture mapping
­ Blending
­ Accumulation, stencil buffers

19
Computer Graphics: 2000-2010

• Photorealism
• Graphics cards (GPU) for PCs dominate
market
­ Nvidia, ATI
• Game boxes and game players determine
direction of market (Wii, Kinect, etc)
• Computer graphics routine in movie
industry: Maya, Lightwave
• Programmable pipelines
20
Computer Graphics: 2010-

• Mobile Computing
­ iPhone
• Cloud Computing
­ Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Virtual Reality
­ Oculus Rift
• Artificial Intelligence
­ Big Data/Deep Learning
­ Google Car
21

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