ECE 495E - Fundamentals of Computer Graphics

Course Details

Lecture Hours: 3 Credits: 3

This is an experiential learning course.

Counts as:

Experimental Course Offered:

Spring 2003

Catalog Description:

This course will cover basic and advanced principles of interactive computer graphics: raster graphics, color models, anti-aliasing and texture, image-space and object-space methods, 3D homogeneous coordinates, perspective, illumination models, depth cuing, hidden line elimination, morphing, and other techniques.

Required Text(s):

  1. Computer Graphics Using Open GL , 2nd Edition , Francis S. Hill, Jr. , Prentice Hall , 2000 , ISBN No. 0023548568

Recommended Text(s):

None.

Learning Outcomes:

A student who successfully fulfills the course requirements will have demonstrated:
  1. an understanding of the design issues for creating raster graphics.. [b,c,j,k]
  2. an ability to apply rendering techniques to an actual computer graphics problem and associated datasets.. [a,c,e,k]
  3. an understanding of object transformations, representations, transformations, and perspective projections.. [a]
  4. an understanding of color, illumination, and shading techniques. [a]
  5. an understanding of the rendering and rasterization techniques.. [a]
  6. an understanding of the application of computer graphics techniques to visualization, animation, and computer-aided design.. [j,k]

Lecture Outline:

Week Topics
1-2 Brief overview of computer graphics and architecture (rendering pipeline), graphics software, and graphics applications. Introduction to OpenGL library, example programs.
3 Raster basics: drawing lines and circles, clipping algorithms, polygon intersection, Alias effects, techniques to counter them.
4-5 From scene to image: Objects, transforms, color and illumination models, polygonal object representation, texture maps, view port clipping, rasterization.
6-7 Perspective and projection, affine and projective coordinates, rigid body motions. Object manipulation, concepts from projective geometry.
8-9 Color perception and color models, local illumination, ambient, diffuse and specular light models. Material properties. Gouraud and Phong shading.
10-11 Basic ray tracing, direct and indirect illumination, reflection and refraction. Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG), ray tracing CSG models.
12-13 Object geometry: polygon mesh, implicit surfaces, parametric surfaces. Modeling with implicit surfaces in SGDL. Construction of polygon meshes.
14 Bezier curves and surfaces, composite curves, splines.
14-15 Survey of basic tools and techniques for animation, scientific visualization, and computer-aided design.

Assessment Method:

The course will be assessed through student submission of working programs and two in-class examinations.