Communications of the ACM
Free Program Makes Computer Graphics More Realistic
Glassware on a silver serving tray, illuminated by the above chandelier. Mitsuba makes it real by managing the complex path of light reflected by shiny surfaces and passing through glass.
Credit: Wenzel Jakob/Cornell University
Cornell University researchers have developed a new version of Mitsuba, a free, open source rendering program used by computer graphics researchers worldwide.
"The goal of my project is to create cutting-edge software that makes it considerably easier," say Cornell Ph.D. student Wenzel Jakob. The new version offers an improved user interface, as well as mathematical advances that accelerate processing and enhance realism. Jakob notes that in academia there is a drive for realism that has brought forth new developments, but these are only slowly making their way into commercial software.
"What really is new is that Mitsuba implements a group of rendering algorithms that traditionally have been horribly complicated," he says. For example, the new version includes an algorithm called Metropolis Light Transport, which manages the complex behavior of light traveling through glossy materials such as brushed metal or glass. "It's been very rewarding to watch this software grow from a small project a few years back into one of the most sophisticated renderers available," says Cornell professor Steve Marschner.
From Cornell Chronicle
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