Basics of ray tracing

CS 348B - Computer Graphics: Image Synthesis Techniques
Spring Quarter, 1996
Marc Levoy
Lecture notes for Thursday, April 4
Handout #5

Table of contents:

• History and fundamental paradigm (postscript file containing 7 slides)
• What coordinate system?
• Ray casting algorithm
• Parametric formulation of a ray
• Ray-sphere intersection
• Ray-polygon intersection
• Generalization: ray-implicit surface intersection
• Whitted illumination model
• Reflection
• Alternative
• Refraction