Computer Graphics Lecture 1

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What are design problems classified into?

Easy or Hard

Overdetermined or Underestimated

Overdetermined or Underdetermined (correct)

Simple or Complex

What type of technology was dominant in display devices until recently?

Cathode-ray tube (CRT) (correct)

Plasma display

Liquid crystal display (LCD)

Organic light-emitting diode (OLED)

What is the purpose of digital to-analog converters in CRTs?

To convert the output of the computer to voltages (correct)

To amplify the electron beam

To regulate the phosphor coating

To control the x and y deflection plates

What is the primary manner in which a designer works?

In an iterative manner Signup and view all the answers

Which fields commonly use interactive graphical tools in computer-aided design (CAD)?

Architecture, Mechanical parts, and VLSI circuits Signup and view all the answers

What is the most common type of input device, aside from the keyboard?

Mouse Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of modern graphics systems?

To create realistic 3D images of computer-generated objects Signup and view all the answers

What was the result of graphical flight simulators?

Increased safety and reduced training expenses Signup and view all the answers

What are the two basic entities required for image formation?

Object and viewer Signup and view all the answers

What has dominated our interaction with computers?

A visual paradigm Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the viewer in image formation?

To view and form an image of the objects Signup and view all the answers

What do windowing systems such as Microsoft Windows and the Macintosh Operating System differ in?

Details Signup and view all the answers

What is essential for objects to be visible in an image?

A light source Signup and view all the answers

How do millions of people access the Internet?

Through graphical network browsers Signup and view all the answers

What is necessary to consider when creating a realistic image of a 3D object?

Lighting, shading, and material properties Signup and view all the answers

What types of icons are part of the GUI?

Program icons, Object icons, Menu icons, and Check-Box icons Signup and view all the answers

What are the six major elements in a graphics system?

Input devices, Central Processing Unit, Graphics Processing Unit, Memory, Frame buffer, Output devices Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the frame buffer in a graphics system?

To store the pixels of the image being displayed Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the number of bits used to represent each pixel in the frame buffer?

Precision Signup and view all the answers

How many colors can be represented by a 15-bit frame buffer?

32,768 Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)?

To take specifications of graphical primitives and assign values to pixels Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the smallest unit of a graphical image?

Pixel Signup and view all the answers

What is the range of wavelengths in the visible spectrum?

350 to 780 nanometers Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the Central Processing Unit (CPU) in a simple graphics system?

To process graphical primitives and assign values to pixels Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the iris in the human visual system?

To adjust the amount of light entering the eye Signup and view all the answers

How many bits are used to represent each pixel in a full-color system?

24 bits Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the rods in the human visual system?

To enable vision at low light levels Signup and view all the answers

What is the component of the pinhole camera where the film is placed?

Film plane Signup and view all the answers

What are the four necessary specifications of a camera?

Position, Orientation, Focal length, Film plane Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the pinhole camera?

To understand the functioning of cameras and other optical imagers Signup and view all the answers

What is the structure where the lens forms an image in the human visual system?

Retina Signup and view all the answers

What determines the resolution of our visual systems?

The size of the rods and cones Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary concern of computer graphics?

Producing pictures or images using a computer Signup and view all the answers

What was the humble beginning of computer graphics?

Display of a few lines on a cathode ray tube (CRT) Signup and view all the answers

How many major areas can the applications of computer graphics be divided into?

Four Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of scientific visualization?

To interpret the vast quantity of data generated by researchers Signup and view all the answers

What is the nature of the design process in fields such as engineering and architecture?

Iterative Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of mathematical models in scientific visualization?

To generate data for scientific visualization Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary concern of professions such as engineering and architecture?

Designing cost-effective solutions Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of real-world problems in design?

They are rarely specified such that there is a unique optimal solution Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Introduction to Computer Graphics

Computer graphics is concerned with producing pictures or images using a computer.
The field began 50 years ago with the display of a few lines on a cathode ray tube (CRT).
Today, we can generate images by computer that are indistinguishable from photographs of real objects.

Applications of Computer Graphics

The applications of computer graphics can be divided into four major areas:
Display of Information
Design
Simulation and Animation
User Interfaces

Display of Information

Scientific visualization provides graphical tools to help researchers interpret vast quantities of data.
Images generated by converting data to geometric entities have yielded new insights into complex processes.

Design

Computer-aided design (CAD) pervades fields such as architecture, mechanical parts, and VLSI circuits.
Design is an iterative process, using interactive graphical tools to generate possible designs, test them, and explore other solutions.

Simulation and Animation

Graphics systems are used as simulators, such as flight simulators, which increase safety and reduce training expenses.
Arcade games have also evolved to be as sophisticated as flight simulators.

User Interface

Our interaction with computers has become dominated by a visual paradigm, including windows, icons, menus, and pointing devices.
Graphical network browsers, such as Firefox, Chrome, and Safari, use these same interface tools.

Graphic System

A computer graphic system consists of:
Input devices
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
Memory
Frame buffer
Output devices

Frame Buffer

The frame buffer stores the image we see on the output device as an array of pixels.
The depth of the frame buffer determines the number of colors that can be represented.

Pixels

Pixels can be either on or off (1-bit bitmap) or represent varying shades of color (using more bits).

CPU and GPU

In a simple system, the CPU does both normal processing and graphical processing.
The graphical function of the processor is to assign values to the pixels in the frame buffer.

Output Devices

The dominant type of display was the cathode-ray tube (CRT), but has been replaced by newer technologies.

Input Devices

Most graphics systems provide a keyboard and at least one other input device, such as:
Mouse
Joystick
Data tablet
Trackball

Images: Physical and Synthetic

We want to create realistic images of computer-generated three-dimensional objects.
This involves image formation, including lighting, shading, and material properties.

Objects and Viewers

Two basic entities are part of any image formation process: Objects and Viewers.
Objects are formed by specifying the positions of geometric primitives, such as points, lines, and polygons.
The viewer forms an image of the objects.

Light and Images

Light is necessary for objects to be visible.
We must indicate how color enters the picture or what the effects of surface properties are.

Camera System

The pinhole camera is a simple imaging system that helps us understand the functioning of cameras and other optical imagers.

Camera Specifications

Camera specifications include:
Position
Orientation
Focal length
Film plane

Human Visual System

The human visual system is a complex imaging system with components similar to a camera or microscope.
Light enters the eye through the lens and cornea.
The lens forms an image on the retina at the back of the eye.
Rods and cones on the retina are light sensors and determine the resolution of our visual systems.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Learn about the basics of computer graphics, including output primitives, 2D and 3D transformations, clipping, and rasterization.