HOMEPAGE

Prerequisites

• Required
• basic programming (data structures, algorithms, file I/O, C / C++)
• some basic mathematics concepts (3D vectors, matrices)
• Some exposure to 3D graphics recommended
• i.e. classes CS 334, CS 434 or CS 535 (ME 573)

Course Description (preliminary)

• Basic concepts
• images (loading, displaying, saving, data structure, pixels, image sequences)
• cameras (pinhole camera model, extrinsic and intrinsic parameters, calibration, animation paths)
• points, vectors, translations, rotations
• geometric models
• Texture-mapping (conveniently modeling surface detail using images, see Figure 1)
• attaching a texture to a surface
• rendering the texture-mapped surface

Figure 1. A relatively simple geometric model of a Jeep produces realistic renderings if texture-mapped (click on the images for higher resolution).

• Panoramas (single point-of-view image-based technique)
• description and construction of cylindrical and spherical images
• rendering from panoramas (rotation, zoom)
• Image morphing (creating new images by interpolation)
• the problem of correspondences
• rendering by interpolation using correspondences
• 3D image warping (full 3D image-based technique)
• depth images
• 3D warping equation
• reconstruction (splatting, meshing)
• the disocclusion problem; layered depth images

• Ray databases (an image-only approach)
• description and construction of ray databases
• rendering by querying ray databases

Required (but Fun) Work

• Homeworks (subject to change)
• 5 total, due approximately every two weeks
• covering "basic concepts", "texture-mapping", "panoramas" or "image morphing" (your choice), "3D image warping", "ray databases"
• homeworks will mainly consist of implementing the various image-based rendering techniques
• credit
• 14% each homework, 70% total
• numerous extra-credit opportunities
• late policy
• once late (up to one week) no penalty
• late second and subsequent times, 15% per day
• all homeworks are required by the last day of classes for completion of course
• Mini-project
• typically an enhancement of one of the homeworks
• students can propose different topics
• 4 weeks before the end of the semester each student has to have an approved project topic, a project description and an execution plan
• the last two class sessions will be reserved for project presentations and demonstrations
• credit
• 30% of total course credit
• No mid-term exams, final exam, tests or quizzes

Cheating policy

• Do not cheat!
• Frequent and thorough scans for cheating
• If caught automatic failing grade for the class and reported to the Dean of Students' Office
• Examples of cheating (courtesy of Gene Spafford)
• Using part or all of someone else's work, from this or any prior semester, in projects or homework without the instructor's prior approval;
• Misrepresenting the functionality of code. That is, if a student submits a project with falsified output or test data to make it look as if a program works better than it does;
• Using hidden notes or hints to answer questions during a test that does not allow open notes or crib sheets;
• Submitting answers on homework or projects that were developed or researched by any other individual and presented as the student's own work;
• Copying text from a book or paper to include in the student's own writing without clearly marking it as a quote and citing the source (This is plagiarism and may be a violation of copyright law as well as cheating.);
• Setting permissions on files and directories in a student's account so that someone can easily copy programs and documents, or allowing any other person, in the class or otherwise, to use your computer account (note that this is also a violation of department policy or PUCC policy;
• Providing program code or problem solutions to another student in the class without the instructor's explicit, prior approval;
• Encouraging anyone to do any of the above, or failing to report anyone involved in any of these activities.

Course material

• photocopies of technical papers