Computer graphics: Algorithms and techniques

In our increasingly digital modern world, you’re never far from computer graphics. We rely on this technology for the films and television programmes we watch, the user interfaces we interact with on our smartphones and devices, the video games we play, and the graphs and diagrams we interpret at work.

Computer graphics aim to make it simpler to display images on computer screens – and to create rich, realistic, real-world, visual experiences for end-users. They are made possible by specific algorithms and techniques, which work to translate, transform, and present information in high-quality visual formats.

With numerous careers requiring specialist knowledge of computer graphics – including computer graphics designer, digital artist, web developer, game artist, animator, and graphic engineer – what are you waiting for?

What are the fundamental algorithms and techniques in computer graphics?

There is a wide range of computer graphics algorithms and techniques that are designed to achieve various visual effects. Often used in combination, they include the following:

• Ray tracing – Used to simulate the path of light rays to enhance the realism and radiosity of images.
• Rasterization – Used to convert vector graphics into raster images (including using z-buffer and depth-buffer algorithms to support hidden surface detection).
• Global illumination – Used to simulate indirect light sources to enhance the realism of images.
• Rendering – Used to generate 2D images or animations from 3D scenes.
• Anti-aliasing – Used to reduce unwanted visual elements (such as jagged edges).
• Mesh generation – Used to create and optimise 3D modelling using simpler primitives.
• Computer animation – Used to add movement (techniques include procedural animation, skeletal animation, and keyframing).
• Texture mapping – Used to apply images onto 3D surfaces.
• Shading models – Used to determine how light interacts with surfaces (examples of shaders include Phong shading and Gouraud shading).

What is possible with current real-time 3D rendering technology?

Real-time rendering is “a field of computer graphics focused on analysing and producing images in real time”, enabling users to “interact with the render as it’s developed.” It’s commonly used in interactive, three-dimensional graphical environments – such as video games – where depicting motion, as it happens, is key. It’s enabled great leaps in terms of interactivity, visual fidelity, and experiential immersion, with countless applications for all types of industries.

Here are some examples of what’s currently possible thanks to real-time 3D rendering technology:

• Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) enables users to engage with virtual spaces, activities, and objects in real time, supporting applications such as immersive entertainment experiences and training simulations.
• Highly realistic gaming relies on hyper-realistic, immersive experiences, made possible thanks to the incredible detail of 3D computer graphics-driven gaming environments, characters, effects, and animations.
• Product visualisation helps brands to showcase interactive product demonstrations where potential customers can visualise and customise products – spanning anything from vehicles to paint swatches for home decorating – in real time.
• Film and animation increasingly depends on real-time 3D rendering technology to preview scenes, streamline workflows, reduce production overheads, and accelerate creative endeavours.
• Interactive experiences are becoming very popular, spanning anything from educational applications to virtual tours to art installations.
• Architectural visualisation has been around for a while, enabling architects, engineers, and designers to visualise buildings and spaces for customers to explore, interact with, and review, pre-construction.
• Training applications, tutorials, and simulations, such as those used in the aviation, military, and healthcare industries, create true-to-life training and procedural scenarios to support learners and help them develop key skills.
• Events and broadcasting are being enhanced by visual effects, AR overlays, and virtual sets, bringing a new dimension to performances, events, and broadcasts – such as the ABBA Voyage experience.

Popular 3D real-time rendering software includes AutoCAD (building design), Maya and 3ds Max (film and gaming animation), Revit (Building Information Modelling), VRED (automotive design), and Inventor LT (product design and manufacturing).

Why do we use graphics cards with computers?

Graphics cards perform a number of critically important computer tasks. While the term is often used interchangeably with graphics processing units (GPUs), Amazon Web Services advise that “they are not the same thing.”

The GPU used by your device supports the handling of graphics-related and pixel-related elements such as visual effects, images, and videos. Among other things, they enable specialised processing, parallel processing, and graphic optimisation, boost performance, and help accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).

There are different types, including integrated GPUs (which are ideal for superficial gaming and light-touch image processing and video editing) and discrete GPUs (which are ideal for more intense processing activities involving gaming, design work, or multimedia editing).

Is traditional computer vision still applied and used today?

While computer science still very much relies upon traditional computer vision (CV) technology, it is increasingly used alongside more advanced methods. Traditional CV algorithms and techniques are based on mathematical operations and “handcrafted” features that work to analyse and interpret visual data, and they’re still valuable in terms of their interpretability, efficiency, and robustness, as well as their relevance to domain-specific applications and support in instances where there has been slow adoption to newer, deep learning-based approaches.

What’s next for computer graphics?

The computer graphics market is set to be the fastest-growing industry in the information technology market by 2032.

As technology advances further, programmers will continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible within the computer graphics space, creating ever more sophisticated, immersive, and realistic images, environments, and experiences. All this will be made possible using advanced algorithms, hardware improvements, and AI-driven enhancements. Expect to see further advancements across real-time ray tracing, photorealistic rendering formats, AI-powered content creation (texture synthesis, scene generation, automatic asset creation), generative adversarial networks (GANs), real-time holography, and cross-platform compatibility.  

To keep an eye out for the latest cutting-edge developments in computer graphics and interaction, follow ACM’s Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques (SIGGRAPH) 2024 Emerging Technologies programme, IEEE’s Computer Graphics and Applications, and similar industry players.

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