Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
•
Digital editing and compositing.
•
Hardware for 2D image processing.
•
Hardware for 3D graphics rendering.
In 1983, Lucasfilm spun off the 2D and 3D groups into their own com-
pany, called Pixar, and sold it to Steve Jobs in 1986. The 2D Image Processing
group produced the
Pixar Image Computer
(PIC), a hardware device to perform
image processing. The PIC used 4-way SIMD (single instruction multiple data)
operations to perform image processing on all four RGBA components simul-
taneously. Thus, when we say in GLSL
vec4 rgba;
. . .
rgba *= 0.5;
we are using the modern-day evolution of the PIC SIMD paradigm. Despite
its technical success, Pixar eventually discontinued work on the PIC to focus
on 3D rendering.
The Pixar rendering group's intention was to create a hardware render-
ing device. But first, a software prototype of that device needed to be devel-
oped. This was known as the
REYES system
, a tribute to Point Reyes in north-
ern California, and also an acronym for
Renders Everything You Ever Saw
.
Figure 2.2.
The Stained Glass Knight from
Young Sherlock Holmes.
(Copyright
Paramount
Pictures; used by permission. Image courtesy of Pixar Inc.)
