Abstract
We present a new method to accelerate the process of finding nearest ray-object intersections in ray tracing. The algorithm consumes an amount of memory more or less linear in the number of objects. The basic ideas can be characterized with a modified BSP tree and plane traversal. Plane traversal is a fast linear time algorithm to find the closest intersection point in a list of bounding volumes hit by a ray. We use plane traversal at every node of the high outdegree BSP tree. Our implementation is competitive to fast ray-tracing programs. We present a benchmark suite that allows for an extensive comparison of ray-tracing algorithms.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
ACM (1993) Online computer graphics bibliography. ftp site at siggraph. org, Sept 1993
Amanatides J, Woo A (1987) A fast voxel traversal algorithm for ray tracing. In: Marechal G (ed) Eurographics '87 North-Holland, Amsterdam, pp 3–10
Appel A (1968) Some techniques for shading machine renderings of solids. In: AFIPS 1968 Spring Joint Comp Conf, vol 32, pp 37–45
Arnaldi B, Priol T, Bouatouch K (1987) A new space subdivision method for ray tracing CSG modelled scenes. Vis Comput 3:98–108
Arvo J, Kirk DB (1987) Fast ray tracing by ray classification. In: Stone MC (ed) Comp Graph (SIGGRAPH'87 Proc), vol 21, pp 55–64
Cameron S (1991) Efficient bounds in constructive solid geometry. IEEE Comp Graph Appl 11:68–74
Charney MJ, Scherson ID (1990) Efficient, traversal of well-behaved hierarchical trees of extents for ray-tracing complex scenes. Vis Comput 6:167–178
Cleary JG, Wyvill G (1988) Analysis of an algorithm for fast ray tracing using uniform space subdivision. Vis Comput 4: 65–83
Devillers O (1989a) The macro-regions: an efficient space subdivision structure for ray tnacing. In: Hansmann W, Hopgood FRA, Strasser W, (eds), Eurographics '89, pp 27–38. Elsevier/North-Holland, Amsterdam
Devillers O (1989b) Tools to study the efficiency of space subdivision structures for ray tracing. In: Proc of the PIXIM '89, pp 467–481
Endl R, Sommer M (1994) Classification or ray-generators in uniform subdivisions and octree for ray tracing. Comp Graph Forum 13:3–19
Fujimoto A, Tanaka T, Iwata K (1986) Arts accelerated raytracing system. IEEE Comp Graph Appl 6: 16–26
Gigante M (1990) Accelerated ray tracing using non-uniform grids. Proc of Ausgraph '90, pp 157–63
Glassner AS (ed) (1989) An introduction to ray tracing. Academic Press London
Goldsmith J, Salmon J (1987) Automatic creation of object hierarchies for ray tracing. IEEE Comp Graph Appl 7:14–20
Haines EA (1993) Standard procedural databases, version 3. 1a. ftp site at ftp.princeton.edu, Nov. 1993.
Hsiung RK, Thibadeau RH (1992) Accelerating ARTS, Vis Comput 8:181–190
Jevans D, Wyvill B (1989) Adaptive voxel subdivision for ray tracing. In: Proc. of Graph Interface '89, Canadian Information Proceesing, Society, Toronto, pp 164–172
Kaplan M (1985) Space-tracing: a constant time ray-tracer. SIGGRAPH '85 State of the Art. Image Syn Sem Notes 18:149–158
Kaplan MR (1987) The use of spatial coherence in ray tracing. In: Rogers DE, Earnshaw BA (eds) Techniques for computer graphics. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 173–193
Kay TL, Kajiya JT (1986) Ray tracing complex scenes. In: Evans DC, Athay RJ (eds) Comp. Graph. (SIGGRAPH '86 Proc), vol 20, pp 269–278
Kolb CE (1992) Rayshade, version 4.0.6. ftp site at ftp.princeton. edu, Feb. 1992
MacDonald JD, Booth KS (1990) Heuristics for ray tracing using space subdivision. Vis Comput 6:153–166
Müller H (1985) Ray-tracing complex scenes by grids. Technical Report 22, Universität Karlsruhe, Fakultät für Informatik
Peng Q, Zhu Y, Liang Y (1987) A fast ray tracing algorithm using space indexing techniques. In: Marechal G (ed) Eurographics '87 North-Holland, Amsterdam, pp 11–23
Rothe C, (1991) Analysis of spatial subdivisions, to accelerate the ray query for photorealistical image synthesis. PhD thesis, University of Karlsruhe, Department of Computer Science (in German)
Rubin SM, Whitted T (1980) A 3-dimensional representation for fast rendering of complex scenes. Comp Graph 14:110–116
Samet H (1990) Applications of spatial data structures. Addison-Wesley, Reading
Scherson ID, Caspary E (1987) Data structures and the time complexity of ray tracing. Vis Comput 3:201–213
Schmitt A, Müller H, Leister W (1988) Ray tracing algorithms-theory and practice. In: Earnshaw RA (ed) Theoretical foundations of computer graphics and CAD, vol F40 of NATO ASI. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 997–1030
Snyder JM, Barr AH (1987) Ray tracing complex models containing surface tessellations. In: Stone MC (ed) Comp Graph (SIGGRAPH '87 Proc), vol 21, pp 119–128.
Spackman J, Willis P (1991) The SMART navigation of a ray through an oct-tree. Comp Graph 15:185–194
Speer LR (1992) An updated/cross-indexed guide to the ray tracing literature. Comp Graph 26:41–72
Sung K (1991) A DDA octree traversal algorithm for ray tracing. In: Purgathofer W (ed) Eurographics '91. North-Holland, Amsterdam, pp 73–85
Weghorst H Hooper G, Greenberg DP (1984) Improved computational methods for ray tracing. ACM Trans Graph 3:52–69
Whitted T (1980) An improved illumination model for shaded display. Commun ACM 23:343–349
Wyvill G, Kunii TL (1985) A functional model for constructive solid geometry. Vis Comput 1:3–14
Wyvill G, Kunii TL, Shirai Y (1986) Space division for ray tracing in CSG (constructive solid geometry). IEEE Comp Graph Appl 6:28–34
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Formella, A., Gill, C. Ray tracing: A quantitative analysis and a new practical algorithm. The Visual Computer 11, 465–476 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02439643
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02439643