Quantcast

New way to make realistic shadows in computer images

Scientists and computer gamers alike could benefit from a new method for creating soft, realistic shadows in computer-generated images. Engineers at Ohio State University have created computer algorithms that model how light passes through translucent three-dimensional objects or fluids such as water, clouds, fire, and smoke. The result: shadows that begin to approach the realism of Hollywood animation, but don’t require as much computer memory to create.