Hard real-time, pixel-parallel rendering of light field videos using steered mixture-of-experts

Steered Mixture-of-Experts (SMoE) is a novel framework for the approximation, coding, and description of image modalities such as light field images and video. The future goal is to arrive at a representation for Six Degrees-of-Freedom (6DoF) image data. Previous research has shown the feasibility of real-time pixel-parallel rendering of static light field images. Each pixel is independently reconstructed by kernels that lay in its vicinity. The number of kernels involved forms the bottleneck on the achievable framerate. The goal of this paper is twofold. Firstly, we introduce pixel-level rendering of light field video, as previous work only rendered static content. Secondly, we investigate rendering using a predefined number of most significant kernels. As such, we can deliver hard real-time constraints by trading off the reconstruction quality

Path caching in real-time strategy games

This paper proposes a performance optimization for search-based path-planning simulations with the aim to improve systemic scalability. Instead of clustering path requests per agent group, paths are cached at path-request time. Paths are cloned or re-used after selection based on request characteristics, agent properties and external matching criteria. Graph search effort is reduced proportional to the number of agents with similar nearby destinations, while the unique navigational behavior of each individual agent remains unchanged and intact. Formation coherence is maximal for homogeneous navigation, and agent response time improves significantly for large agent groups compared to solutions without this optimization. Explicit multi-agent consensus models are not required and behavioral discontinuities are avoided

Extreme asset simplification and the preservation of visual appearance

Reusing animation film assets for real-time rendering requires extreme simplification. As well-known simplification approaches do not suffice, studios are still forced to manually simplify their assets. To automate this, we employ a pipeline for efficient geometry-based simplification and make use of normal mapping to ensure visual similarity. Our obtained results are promising: geometric complexity is vastly reduced while maintaining a recognizable model, unlike results with classical simplification approaches as employed by commercial applications. We have compared the approaches in two settings, aiming at a similar number of triangles and aiming at a similar storage size, both of which prove that our extreme asset simplification is a valid alternative for classical topological simplification approaches

Highly parallel steered mixture-of-experts rendering at pixel-level for image and light field data

A novel image approximation framework called steered mixture-of-experts (SMoE) was recently presented. SMoE has multiple applications in coding, scale-conversion, and general processing of image modalities. In particular, it has strong potential for coding and streaming higher dimensional image modalities that are necessary to leverage full translational and rotational freedom (6 degrees-of-freedom) in virtual reality for camera captured images. In this paper, we analyze the rendering performance of SMoE for 2D images and 4D light fields. Two different GPU implementations that parallelize the SMoE regression step at pixel-level are presented, including experimental evaluations based on rendering performance and quality. In this paper it is shown that on appropriate hardware, an OpenCL implementation can achieve 85 fps and 22 fps for, respectively, 1080p and 4K renderings of large models with more than 100,000 of Gaussian kernels

beta Phase decomposition in Ti-5Al-5Mo-5V-3Cr

The decomposition of the beta phase during rapid cooling of the near beta titanium alloy Ti-5Al-5Mo-5V-3Cr has been studied using in situ X-ray synchrotron diffraction combined with ex situ conventional laboratory X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Evidence is found supporting the suggestion by De Fontaine et al. (Acta Mater. 1971:19) that embryonic omega structures form by the correlation of linear (111)beta defects at high temperatures. Further Cooling causes increased correlation of these defects and the formation of athermal omega structures within the beta matrix at temperatures similar to 500 degrees C. Post-quench aging at 570 degrees C resulted in the nucleation of alpha laths after similar to 90 s at temperature, with the laths all initially belonging to a single variant type. Aging for 30 min produced an even distribution of alpha precipitates with a lath morphology similar to 1.5 mu m x 0.2 mu m in size composed of both the expected Burgers variants. Mechanical property data suggests that the omega structures alone have no real effect: however, hardness increases were observed as the alpha phase developed. The utilization of thermal regimes similar to those presented in this paper could offer a method to engineer the alpha phase in near beta titanium alloys and hence control mechanical properties. (C) 2009 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

BilliARt: AR Carom Billiards: exploration of an AR framework

This paper presents a framework for processing visual and auditory textures in an augmented reality environment that enables real-time artistic creativity without imposing predefined interaction rules or constraints. It integrates multiple problem domain knowledge in sonification, real-time rendering, object tracking and object recognition in a collaborative art installation using a familiar Carom Billiard game table, motion tracking cameras, a table-top digital projector and a digital audio installation. A demonstrator was presented at a 10-day annual innovation exhibition in Belgium and was perceived as innovative, intuitive and very easy to interact with

Linking the cognitive load induced by route instruction types and building configuration during indoor route guidance, a usability study in VR

Every route instruction type (e.g. map, symbol, photo) induces a specific cognitive load. However, when these types are used at different decision points in a building, the building configuration of these points also influences the induced cognitive load. Therefore, the process of route guidance results in an interaction between the instruction type and the decision point, which determines the induced cognitive load. One way of reducing cognitive load during route guidance is by using adaptive systems that show specific route instruction types at specific decision points. Therefore, in this VR experiment, the usability of such an adaptive indoor route guidance system is tested by tracking the wayfinding and gaze behavior of the users. First, the difference in wayfinding and gaze behavior between all route instruction types is compared. Next, the building configuration at the decision points is quantified through the architectural theory of space syntax, and the correlation with the wayfinding and gaze behavior is determined. Our findings indicate that adapting the route instruction type does make a difference for the user