Applications, Challenges, and Possibilities - Real-Time Rendering: Computer Graphics with Control Engineering - page 105

investments for real-time rendering applications, the technology described in this
topic can address this requirement by delivering consistent performance in various
application settings.
Mixed reality (MR) and rich media — The Internet has evolved into a rich-media
communication channel in recent years. Mixed reality (MR) applications blend both
virtual and real objects together to create believable and informative worlds. The
confluence of these subjects has generated interesting applications and products that
require some form of interactive 3D rendering.
A key advantage offered by the control-assisted rendering technology described
in this topic offers is the deployment of these types of applications over a wide range
of computer platforms and human-computer interfaces.
7.3.1 e xtension of c ontRol s ystem f RamewoRk
Control engineering principles have been widely adopted around the world.
Control techniques have been adopted across a spectrum of applications includ-
ing flight dynamics, temperature control, and mechanical systems. We believe the
modelling and control system framework described in this topic can be extended
beyond real-time polygonal rendering (surface shading) to other forms of rendering
such as:
Volume rendering [10]
Image-based rendering [61]
Real-time transcoding and compression of video streams [62,63]
7.4 CONVERGENCE WITH FUTURE TECHNOLOGY
Key technology innovation in recent years created several interesting and promising
opportunities for control engineering with real-time computer graphics rendering.
We provide a summary of the advances and their future prospects below.
7.4.1 g ReateR c omPuting P aRallelism
The advent of the graphical processing unit (GPU) impelled the quality of real-time
computer graphics to progress by leaps and bounds. Today it is typical for a com-
puter to have both a CPU and a GPU dedicated to graphics related task processing.
From a control system architectural perspective, this provides a straightforward path
to mapping of a controller to the CPU and a plant to the GPU. The benefit of the
arrangement is more robust parallel processing and stability in the control system.
7.4.2 i ncReased u se of m oBile d eVices
Decreasing manufacturing costs and sleeker hardware designs flooded the global
consumer market with portable and powerful mobile devices. The average time a
consumer spends using mobile devices has risen significantly as a result of technology
innovations and costs of ownership.