Scribd
Upload
3K views

Graphics and Visual Computing

This document discusses graphics and visual computing, which focuses on four interrelated fields: computer graphics, visualization, virtual reality, and computer vision. It provides an overview of computer graphics, describing it as the art of drawing pictures and graphics on screens through programming. A basic graphics system includes input devices, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), memory, a frame buffer, and output devices. The frame buffer stores the pixels that make up the displayed image.

Uploaded by

Topher Hayag
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
3K views

Graphics and Visual Computing

This document discusses graphics and visual computing, which focuses on four interrelated fields: computer graphics, visualization, virtual reality, and computer vision. It provides an overview of computer graphics, describing it as the art of drawing pictures and graphics on screens through programming. A basic graphics system includes input devices, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), memory, a frame buffer, and output devices. The frame buffer stores the pixels that make up the displayed image.

Uploaded by

Topher Hayag
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 16

Graphics and Visual

Computing
Overview
Graphics and Visual Computing
These area focused on four different
interrelated fields.

Computer Graphics
Visualization
Virtual Reality
Computer Vision
Computer Graphics
• Computer graphics is an art of drawing pictures, lines, charts, etc
on computer screens with the help of programming. It involves
computations, creation, and manipulation of data.

• Computer graphics picture is made up of number of pixels. Pixel is


the smallest graphical picture or unit represented on
the computer screen.

• Computer graphics deals with all aspects of creating images with a


computer

• Hardware
• Software
• Applications
Example
• Where did this image come from?

• What hardware/software did we use to produce it?


• Application: The object is an artist’s rendition of the
sun for an animation to be shown in a domed
environment (planetarium)

• Software: Maya for modeling and rendering but


Maya is built on top of OpenGL

• Hardware: PC with graphics card for modeling and


rendering
Basic Graphics System
Types of Computer
Graphics
• Interactive Computer Graphics involves a two way communication
between computer and user. Here the observer is given some
control over the image by providing him with an input device

• In non interactive computer graphics otherwise known as


passive computer graphics. It is the computer graphics in which
user does not have any kind of control over the image. Image is
merely the product of static stored program and will work according
to the instructions given in the program linearly. The image is totally
under the control of program instructions not under the user
Applications of
Computer Graphics
The development of computer graphics has been driven both by the needs of the user
community and by advances in hardware and software. The applications of computer
graphics are many and varied; we can, however, divide them into four major areas:

1. Display of information
2. Design
3. Simulation and animation
4. User interfaces
Computer Graphics has numerous applications

•Computer graphics user interfaces (GUIs) – A graphic,


mouse-oriented paradigm which allows the user to interact
with a computer.
•Business presentation graphics - "A picture is worth a
thousand words".
•Cartography - Drawing maps.
•Weather Maps – Real-time mapping, symbolic
representations.
•Satellite Imaging - Geodesic images.
•Photo Enhancement - Sharpening blurred photos.
•Médical imaging - MRIs, CAT scans, etc. - Non-invasive
internal examination.
• Engineering drawings - mechanical, electrical, civil, etc.
- Replacing the blueprints of the past.
• Typography - The use of character images in publishing -
replacing the hard type of the past.
• Architecture - Construction plans, exterior sketches -
replacing the blueprints and hand drawings of the past.
• Art - Computers provide a new medium for artists.
• Training - Flight simulators, computer aided instruction,
etc.
• Entertainment - Movies and games.
• Simulation and modeling - Replacing physical modeling
and enactments
A Graphics System
A computer graphics system is a computer system; as such, it must have all the
components of a general-purpose computer system.
There are six major elements in our system:

1. Input devices
2. Central Processing Unit
3. Graphics Processing Unit
4. Memory
5. Frame buffer
6. Output devices
Pixels and the Frame Buffer
•Virtually all modern graphics systems are raster based. The image we see on
the output device is an array—the raster—of picture elements, or pixels,
produced by the graphics system.

•Collectively, the pixels are stored in a part of memory called the frame
buffer. The frame buffer can be viewed as the core element of a graphics
system. Its resolution—the number of pixels in the frame buffer—determines
the detail that you can see in the image. The depth, or precision, of the frame
buffer, defined as the number of bits that are used for each pixel, determines
properties such as how many colors can be represented on a given system.
• In full-color systems, there are 24 (or more) bits per pixel. They are also
called true-color systems, or RGB-color systems, because individual
groups of bits in each pixel are assigned to each of the three primary colors
—red, green, and blue—used in most displays.

• High dynamic range (HDR) systems use 12 or more bits for each color
component. Until recently, frame buffers stored colors in integer formats.
Recent frame buffers use floating point and thus support HDR colors more
easily.
• Frame buffer holds only the colored pixels that are displayed on the screen.
In most systems, the frame buffer holds far more information, such as depth
information needed for creating images from three-dimensional data. In
these systems, the frame buffer comprises multiple buffers, one or more of
which are color buffers that hold the colored pixels that are displayed.
The CPU and the GPU
•Central Processing Unit (CPU):
CPU is known as brain for every ingrained system. CPU comprises the arithmetic logic unit (ALU)
accustomed quickly to store the information and perform calculations and Control Unit (CU) for
performing instruction sequencing as well as branching. CPU interacts with more computer
components such as memory, input and output for performing instruction.
• Graphics Processing Unit (GPU):
GPU is used to provide the images in computer games. GPU is faster than CPU’s speed and it
emphasis on high throughput. It’s generally incorporated with electronic equipment for sharing
RAM with electronic equipment that is nice for the foremost computing task. It contains more
ALU units than CPU.
• The basic difference between CPU and GPU is that CPU emphasis on low
latency. Whereas, GPU emphasis on high throughput.
Let’s see the difference between CPU and GPU:

You might also like