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Specular Lighting
A specular highlight is the bright spot of light that appears on shiny objects when illuminated (for example, see image on right). Specular highlights are important in 3D computer graphics, as they provide a strong visual cue for the shape of an object and its location with respect to light sources in the scene. Microfacets The term ''specular'' means that light is perfectly reflected in a mirror-like way from the light source to the viewer. Specular reflection is visible only where the surface normal is oriented precisely halfway between the direction of incoming light and the direction of the viewer; this is called the half-angle direction because it bisects (divides into halves) the angle between the incoming light and the viewer. Thus, a specularly reflecting surface would show a specular highlight as the perfectly sharp reflected image of a light source. However, many shiny objects show blurred specular highlights. This can be explained by the existence of microfacets. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Root Mean Square
In mathematics, the root mean square (abbrev. RMS, or rms) of a set of values is the square root of the set's mean square. Given a set x_i, its RMS is denoted as either x_\mathrm or \mathrm_x. The RMS is also known as the quadratic mean (denoted M_2), a special case of the generalized mean. The RMS of a continuous function is denoted f_\mathrm and can be defined in terms of an integral of the square of the function. In estimation theory, the root-mean-square deviation of an estimator measures how far the estimator strays from the data. Definition The RMS value of a set of values (or a continuous-time waveform) is the square root of the arithmetic mean of the squares of the values, or the square of the function that defines the continuous waveform. In the case of a set of ''n'' values \, the RMS is : x_\text = \sqrt. The corresponding formula for a continuous function (or waveform) ''f''(''t'') defined over the interval T_1 \le t \le T_2 is : f_\text = \sqrt , and the R ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Specularity
Specularity is the visual appearance of specular reflections. In computer graphics In computer graphics, it means the quantity used in three-dimensional (3D) rendering which represents the amount of reflectivity a surface has. It is a key component in determining the brightness of specular highlights, along with shininess to determine the size of the highlights. It is frequently used in real-time computer graphics and ray tracing, where the mirror-like specular reflection of light from other surfaces is often ignored (due to the more intensive computations required to calculate it), and the specular reflection of light directly from point light sources is modeled as specular highlights. Specular mapping A materials system may allow specularity to vary across a surface, controlled by additional layers of texture maps. The early misinterpretation of "Specularity" in computer graphics Early shaders included a parameter called "Specularity". CG Artists, confused by this ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Refraction
In physics, refraction is the redirection of a wave as it passes from one transmission medium, medium to another. The redirection can be caused by the wave's change in speed or by a change in the medium. Refraction of light is the most commonly observed phenomenon, but other waves such as sound waves and Wind wave, water waves also experience refraction. How much a wave is refracted is determined by the change in wave speed and the initial direction of wave propagation relative to the direction of change in speed. Optical Prism (optics), prisms and Lens (optics), lenses use refraction to redirect light, as does the human eye. The refractive index of materials varies with the wavelength of light,R. Paschotta, article ochromatic dispersion in th, accessed on 2014-09-08 and thus the angle of the refraction also varies correspondingly. This is called dispersion (optics), dispersion and causes prism (optics), prisms and rainbows to divide white light into its constituent spectral ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reflection (physics)
Reflection is the change in direction of a wavefront at an interface between two different media so that the wavefront returns into the medium from which it originated. Common examples include the reflection of light, sound and water waves. The ''law of reflection'' says that for specular reflection (for example at a mirror) the angle at which the wave is incident on the surface equals the angle at which it is reflected. In acoustics, reflection causes echoes and is used in sonar. In geology, it is important in the study of seismic waves. Reflection is observed with surface waves in bodies of water. Reflection is observed with many types of electromagnetic wave, besides visible light. Reflection of VHF and higher frequencies is important for radio transmission and for radar. Even hard X-rays and gamma rays can be reflected at shallow angles with special "grazing" mirrors. Reflection of light Reflection of light is either '' specular'' (mirror-like) or '' diffuse'' (retai ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Retroreflector
A retroreflector (sometimes called a retroflector or cataphote) is a device or surface that reflects light or other radiation back to its source with minimum scattering. This works at a wide range of angle of incidence (optics), angle of incidence, unlike a planar mirror, which does this only if the mirror is exactly perpendicular to the wave front, having a zero angle of incidence. Being directed, the retroflector's reflection (physics), reflection is brighter than that of a diffuse reflector. Corner reflectors and Cat's eye (road), cat's eye reflectors are the most used kinds. Types There are several ways to obtain retroreflection: Corner reflector A set of three mutually perpendicular reflective surfaces, placed to form the internal corner of a cube, work as a retroreflector. The three corresponding normal vectors of the corner's sides form a basis in which to represent the direction of an arbitrary incoming ray, . When the ray reflects from the first side, say x, the ray' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gamma Correction
Gamma correction or gamma is a Nonlinearity, nonlinear operation used to encode and decode Relative luminance, luminance or CIE 1931 color space#Tristimulus values, tristimulus values in video or still image systems. Gamma correction is, in the simplest cases, defined by the following Power law, power-law expression: : V_\text = A V_\text^\gamma, where the non-negative real input value V_\text is raised to the power \gamma and multiplied by the constant ''A'' to get the output value V_\text. In the common case of , inputs and outputs are typically in the range 0–1. A gamma value \gamma 1 is called a ''decoding gamma'', and the application of the expansive power-law nonlinearity is called gamma expansion. Explanation Gamma encoding of images is used to optimize the usage of bits when encoding an image, or bandwidth used to transport an image, by taking advantage of the non-linear manner in which humans perceive light and color. The human perception of brightness (lightness), un ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Diffuse Reflection
Diffuse reflection is the reflection of light or other waves or particles from a surface such that a ray incident on the surface is scattered at many angles rather than at just one angle as in the case of specular reflection. An ''ideal'' diffuse reflecting surface is said to exhibit Lambertian reflection, meaning that there is equal luminance when viewed from all directions lying in the half-space adjacent to the surface. A surface built from a non-absorbing powder such as plaster, or from fibers such as paper, or from a polycrystalline material such as white marble, reflects light diffusely with great efficiency. Many common materials exhibit a mixture of specular and diffuse reflection. The visibility of objects, excluding light-emitting ones, is primarily caused by diffuse reflection of light: it is diffusely-scattered light that forms the image of the object in an observer's eye over a wide range of angles of the observer with respect to the object. Mechanism Di ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Specular Reflection
Specular reflection, or regular reflection, is the mirror-like reflection (physics), reflection of waves, such as light, from a surface. The law of reflection states that a reflected ray (optics), ray of light emerges from the reflecting surface at the same angle to the surface normal as the incident ray, but on the opposing side of the surface normal in the plane formed by the incident and reflected rays. The earliest known description of this behavior was recorded by Hero of Alexandria (Anno Domini, AD c. 10–70). Later, Ibn al-Haytham, Alhazen gave a complete statement of the law of reflection. He was first to state that the incident ray, the reflected ray, and the normal to the surface all lie in a same plane perpendicular to reflecting plane. Specular reflection may be contrasted with diffuse reflection, in which light is scattered away from the surface in a range of directions. Law of reflection When light encounters a boundary of a material, it is affected by the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
List Of Common Shading Algorithms
{{Short description, none This article lists common shading algorithms used in computer graphics. Interpolation techniques These techniques can be combined with any illumination model: * Flat shading * Gouraud shading * Phong shading Illumination models Realistic The illumination models listed here attempt to model the perceived brightness of a surface or a component of the brightness in a way that looks realistic. Some take physical aspects into consideration, like for example the Fresnel equations, microfacets, the rendering equation and subsurface scattering. Diffuse reflection Light that is reflected on a non-metallic and/or a very rough surface gives rise to a diffuse reflection. Models that describe the perceived brightness due to diffuse reflection include: * Lambert * Oren–Nayar (Rough opaque diffuse surfaces) * Minnaert Specular reflection Light that is reflected on a relatively smooth surface gives rise to a specular reflection. This kind of reflection is espe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Schlick's Approximation
In 3D computer graphics, Schlick’s approximation, named after Christophe Schlick, is a formula for approximating the contribution of the Fresnel factor in the specular reflection of light from a non-conducting interface (surface) between two media. According to Schlick’s model, the specular reflection coefficient ''R'' can be approximated by: R(\theta) = R_0 + (1 - R_0)(1 - \cos \theta)^5 where R_0 = \left(\frac\right)^2 where \theta is half the angle between the incoming and outgoing light directions. And n_1,\,n_2 are the indices of refraction of the two media at the interface and R_0 is the reflection coefficient for light incoming parallel to the normal (i.e., the value of the Fresnel term when \theta = 0 or minimal reflection). In computer graphics, one of the interfaces is usually air, meaning that n_1 very well can be approximated as 1. In microfacet models it is assumed that there is always a perfect reflection, but the normal changes according to a certain distri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fresnel Equations
The Fresnel equations (or Fresnel coefficients) describe the reflection and transmission of light (or electromagnetic radiation in general) when incident on an interface between different optical media. They were deduced by French engineer and physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel () who was the first to understand that light is a transverse wave, when no one realized that the waves were electric and magnetic fields. For the first time, polarization could be understood quantitatively, as Fresnel's equations correctly predicted the differing behaviour of waves of the ''s'' and ''p'' polarizations incident upon a material interface. Overview When light strikes the interface between a medium with refractive index and a second medium with refractive index , both reflection and refraction of the light may occur. The Fresnel equations give the ratio of the ''reflected'' wave's electric field to the incident wave's electric field, and the ratio of the ''transmitted'' wave's electric f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
