Advanced Graphics

Lecturers: Dr N.A. Dodgson and Dr P. Robinson
(nad@cl.cam.ac.uk and pr@cl.cam.ac.uk)

No. of lectures: 8

Prerequisite course: Computer Graphics and Image Processing  

A new course for 1997-98. Six lectures from Dr Neil Dodgson on 3D modelling; two lectures from Dr Peter Robinson on human-computer interaction.

3D Modelling

Revision.

Revision of the ray tracing and z-buffer methods of making images from 3D models; the pros and cons of each approach.

3D modelling tools.

A selection of 3D modelling tools will be chosen from the following list. Splines: from Bezier to NURBS. Polygonal meshes: data structures and management. Curved primitives: conics, quadrics, superquadrics. Generative models: extrusion, revolution, sweeping, generalised cylinders. Implicit surfaces: metaballs. Computational solid geometry (CSG): set theory applied to solid objects. Free-form deformation (FFD): warping solid objects. Voxels: 3D pixels. Converting these representations into polygons for z-buffer drawing. Problems with numerical inaccuracies in rendering.

Additional topics.

Faking the real world: how close do we get and how close do we need to get? Sampling theory: how do we efficiently get rid of those nasty artefacts? Animation: how do we make those 3D models move realistically?

Human-Computer Interaction

Introduction.

Cycle of dialogue.

The human virtual machine.

Hick's Law, model human processor, Fitts' Law, power law of practice.

System evaluation.

Usability analysis, GOMS, keystroke level modelling.

User interface design.

Novel user interfaces.

Recommended books:

Newman, W.M. & Lamming, M.G. (1995). Interactive System Design. Addison-Wesley. [HCI]

Foley, J.D., van Dam, A., Feiner, S.K. & Hughes, J.F. (1990). Computer Graphics: Principles and Practice. Addison-Wesley (2nd ed.). [3DM]

Rogers, D.F. & Adams, J.A. (1990). Mathematical Elements for Computer Graphics. McGraw-Hill (2nd ed.). [3DM]