A Hardware Algorithm for Fast Realistic Image Synthesis

A VLSI oriented algorithm, for the implementation of a generalized two-pass radiosity method is presented. The method allows any reflection behavior, varying from purely diffuse to perfect mirroring. Moreover, objects may be defined in terms of curved (Bezier) surfaces. All computations in the preand postprocess are similar and ray-tracing based, consequently a single architecture can be devised for both passes. This architecture, when built on ray-rotating and ray-tracing pipelined processors such as Cordics, results in a very high throughput VLSI implementation of the proposed generalized two-pass procedure.