GEARS: A general and efficient algorithm for rendering shadows

Lili Wang, Shiheng Zhou, Wei Ke, Voicu Popescu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We present a soft shadow rendering algorithm that is general, efficient and accurate. The algorithm supports fully dynamic scenes, with moving and deforming blockers and receivers, and with changing area light source parameters. For each output image pixel, the algorithm computes a tight but conservative approximation of the set of triangles that block the light source as seen from the pixel sample. The set of potentially blocking triangles allows estimating visibility between light points and pixel samples accurately and efficiently. As the light source size decreases to a point, our algorithm converges to rendering pixel accurate hard shadows. We present a soft shadow rendering algorithm that is general, efficient and accurate. The algorithm supports fully dynamic scenes, with moving and deforming blockers and receivers, and with changing area light source parameters. For each output image pixel, the algorithm computes a tight but conservative approximation of the set of triangles that block the light source as seen from the pixel sample. The set of potentially blocking triangles allows estimating visibility between light points and pixel samples accurately and efficiently. As the light source size decreases to a point, our algorithm converges to rendering pixel accurate hard shadows.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)264-275
Number of pages12
JournalComputer Graphics Forum
Volume33
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Sept 2014

Keywords

  • hard shadows
  • interactive rendering
  • soft shadows

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'GEARS: A general and efficient algorithm for rendering shadows'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this