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Introduction

A Birds-Eye View on Visual Computing

Visual computing

Computer graphics aka image synthesis

Rendering [Wiedergabe in jeglichem Sinne: 3D, 2D, Fonts, ...]
Modeling
Texturing
Animation, simulation, motion capture
Interaction, GUIs, devices
VR, AR
Data visualization
Image manipulation [Bildbearbeitung]
...

Image processing aka image analysis [Bildverarbeitung]

Segmentation, detection, ..., OCR, machine vision
Data compression [Datenreduktion und/oder -kompression]
Noise reduction, image restoration
Data hiding, watermarking
Color management
Content-based image retrieval
...

Historical Perspective

The history of computer graphics is short:

1963: Ivan Sutherland: Sketchpad (drawing with a light pen)
1975: Ed Catmull: z-Buffer (described one year earlier by Wolfgang Straßer in his PhD thesis)
1980: Turner Whitted: Ray Tracing (described 1968 by Arthur Appel)
1986: Pixar: "Luxo, Jr."
1987 to date: Pixar: RenderMan and RenderMan Interface

Things to be Covered in this Course

A look at the syllabus:

A bit of 2D computer graphics

Image manipulation
Vector graphics

Lots of real-time 3D programming

Student work of preceding years

APIs for Computer Graphics

To prevent a typical misunderstanding: Note that API = Application Programming Interface = the actual set of functions/classes/..., not its documentation.

2D

Java2D
GDI+
...

3D

Real-time

OpenGL, see below
DirectX, see below
OpenGL ES, a stripped-down version of OpenGL for embedded devices (PDAs, game consoles, ...)
Java3D, high-level Java API on top of OpenGL or DirectX, no longer state of the art; when manufacturers of mobile phones speak of "Java 3D", they typically mean JSR-184, see below
M3G aka JSR-184, a 3D API for devices with little computational resources such as mobile phones
...

Offline

RenderMan Interface
...

OpenGL 2.0	DirectX 9.0c
designed by committee ("ARB")	proprietary: Microsoft
available on every major platform; OpenGL ES for embedded systems such as PDAs and game consoles	Windows-only
only graphics commands	also includes 2D, input devices, etc.
common binding: C; many other bindings available, in particular jogl for Java	C++ and (through the OO wrapper Managed DirectX) all .NET-based languages ("managed code")
partial debugging and software emulation support in some drivers	SDK offers debugging mode and contains full-featured reference implementation with emulation in software
strong backward compatibility (i.e., old-fashioned?); however, the next release may break the backward compatibility for the first time	often redesigned with little backward compatibility (i.e., modern?); coming next: DirectX9EX and DirectX10 in Windows Vista
some helpers, but not many contained in the standard	lots of helpers: object simplification, shader effects, soft shadows, ...
vendor-specific extensions, lead to (many?) incompatibilties	capability flags, lead to (fewer?) incompatibilities; introduction of new features requires new version of DirectX

Organizational Stuff

Tools: .NET, Managed DirectX, Visual Studio
Material on the Web
Lab groups
Mailing list