This paper reviews the latest developments of displacement mapping algorithms implemented on the vertex, geometry, and fragment shaders of graphics cards. Displacement mapping algorithms are classified as per-vertex and per-pixel methods. Per-pixel approaches are further categorized as safe algorithms that aim at correct solutions in all cases, to unsafe techniques that may fail in extreme cases but are usually much faster than safe algorithms, and to combined methods that exploit the robustness of safe and the speed of unsafe techniques. We discuss the possible roles of vertex, geometry, and fragment shaders to implement these algorithms. Then the particular GPU based bump, parallax, relief, sphere, horizon mapping, cone stepping, local ray tracing, pyramidal and view-dependent displacement mapping methods, as well as their numerous variations are reviewed providing also implementation details of the shader programs. We present these methods using uniform notations and also point out when different authors called similar concepts differently. In addition to basic displacement mapping, self-shadowing and silhouette processing are also reviewed. Based on our experiences gained having re-implemented these methods, their performance and quality are compared, and the advantages and disadvantages are fairly presented.

This deliverable deals with the visual replay of a previously recorded object. Image-based rendering techniques are applied which perform a kind of view interpolation. An algorithm is presented that allows applying signal processing algorithms to generate models with space and time coherence. Methods are described that can remove reconstruction and quantization noise, as well as calibration errors. A GPU-accelerated rendering algorithm is presented to further improve the final image quality by generating consistent view-dependent geometry and textures for each individual frame. Contract: IST-2006-27141 IMMERSENCE This page is left blank intentionally. D5.1.1 Visual recording and replay of rigid objects 3 IMMERSENCE