Computer Graphics

High-Dynamic Range Systems

Real scenes and real photographic images exhibit a much larger dynamic range than current technology provides for. This project investigated how images with high dynamic range (HDR) can be acquired and how images with high dynamic range can be displayed on current hardware. One result is a system that can acquire HDR images at video rates. A collaborative project led by UBC and with G. Ward and other researchers at McGill and York University as well as several companies resulted in a new HDR display system. The technologies were being commercialized by the startup Brightside Technologies. Dolby recently acquired this company. We also presented a first high-dynamic range projector and dealt with user interface issues on high dynamic range displays.

Real-time Rendering

This research investigated multiple methods to make creating new images more efficient, through image-based methods, new ways to compute shadows, dealing with very large models, levels of detail, and the results of global illumination computations.