An Introduction to Ray Tracing

Andrew S. Glassner

Jun 1989 · Elsevier

About this ebook

The creation of ever more realistic 3-D images is central to the development of computer graphics. The ray tracing technique has become one of the most popular and powerful means by which photo-realistic images can now be created. The simplicity, elegance and ease of implementation makes ray tracing an essential part of understanding and exploiting state-of-the-art computer graphics.An Introduction to Ray Tracing develops from fundamental principles to advanced applications, providing "how-to" procedures as well as a detailed understanding of the scientific foundations of ray tracing. It is also richly illustrated with four-color and black-and-white plates. This is a book which will be welcomed by all concerned with modern computer graphics, image processing, and computer-aided design.

• Provides practical "how-to" information
• Contains high quality color plates of images created using ray tracing techniques
• Progresses from a basic understanding to the advanced science and application of ray tracing

About the author

Andrew Glassner's contributions to computer graphics span 20 years. His work at Microsoft Research, Xerox PARC, the IBM Watson Research Labs, Bell Communications Research, and the Delft University of Technology has produced numerous technical articles on rendering theory and practice, animation, modeling, and new media. He currently creates new computer graphics tools at Microsoft Research. Among his recent work is Chicken Crossing, a 3D animated short film that has been shown internationally at film festivals and on television, and Dead Air, an interactive game for play over the Internet. Dr. Glassner is the author of the two volume bible, Principles of Digital Image Synthesis and 3D Computer Graphics: A Handbook for Artists and Designers. He has also edited An Introduction to Ray Tracing, and created the Graphics Gems series for programmers.