Image Synthesis: Theory and Practice is the first book completely dedicated to the numerous techniques of image synthesis. Both theoretical and practical aspects are treated in detail. Numerous impressive computer-generated images are used to explain the most advanced techniques in image synthesis. The book contains a detailed description of the most fundamental algorithms; other less important algorithms are summarized or simply listed. This volume is also a unique handbook of mathematical formulae for image synthesis. The four first chapters of the book survey the basic techniques of computer graphics which play an important role in the design of an image: geometric models, image and viewing transformations, curves and surfaces and solid modeling techniques. In the next chapters, each major topic in image synthesis is presented. The first important problem is the detection and processing of visible surfaces, then two chapters are dedicated to the central problem of light and illumination. As aliasing is a major problem in image rendering, the fundamental antialiasing and motion blur techniques are explained. The most common shadow algorithms are then presented as well as techniques for producing soft shadows and penumbrae. In the last few years, image rendering has been strongly influenced by ray tracing techniques. For this reason, two chapters are dedicated to this important approach. Then a chapter is completely dedicated to fractals from the formal Mandelbrot theory to the recursive subdivision approaches. Natural phenomena present a particularly difficult challenge in image synthesis. For this reason, a large portion of the book is devoted to latest methods to simulate these phenomena: particle systems, scalar fields, volume density scattering models. Various techniques are also described for representing terrains, mountains, water, waves, sky, clouds, fog, fire, trees, and grass. Several techniques for combining images are also explained: adaptive rendering, montage and composite methods. The last chapter presents in detail the MIRALab image synthesis software.

The goal of image synthesis is to create, using the computer, a visual experience that is identical to what a viewer would experience when viewing a real environment. Radiosity and Realistic Image Synthesis offers the first comprehensive look at the radiosity method for image synthesis and the tools required to approach this elusive goal. Basic concepts and mathematical fundamentals underlying image synthesis and radiosity algorithms are covered thoroughly. (A basic knowledge of undergraduate calculus is assumed). The algorithms that have been developed to implement the radiosity method ranging from environment subdivision to final display are discussed. Successes and difficulties in implementing and using these algorithms are highlighted. Extensions to the basic radiosity method to include glossy surfaces, fog or smoke, and realistic light sources are also described. There are 16 pages of full colour images and over 100 illustrations to explain the development and show the results of the radiosity method. Results of applications of this new technology from a variety of fields are also included. Michael Cohen has worked in the area of realistic image synthesis since 1983 and was instrumental in the development of the radiosity method. He is currently an assistant professor of computer science at Princeton University. John Wallace is a software engineer at 3D/EYE, Inc., where he is the project leader for the development of Hewlett-Packard's ATRCore radiosity and ray tracing library. A chapter on the basic concepts of image synthesis is contributed by Patrick Hanrahan. He has worked on the topic of image synthesis at Pixar, where he was instrumental in the development of the Renderman software. He has also led research on the hierarchical methods at Princeton University, where he is an associate professor of computer science. All three authors have written numerous articles on radiosity that have appeared in the SIGGAPH proceedings and elsewhere. They have also taught the SIGGRAPH course on radiosity for 5 years. - The first comprehensive book written about radiosity - Features applications from the fields of computer graphics, architecture, industrial design, and related computer aided design technologies - Offers over 100 illustrations and 16 pages of full-color images demonstrating the results of radiosity methods - Contains a chapter authored by Pat Hanrahan on the basic concepts of image synthesis and a foreword by Donald Greenberg

The images produced by means ofcomputers have invaded our daily lives. One has but to see the "identification logos" of most television broadcasts or some advenisement "spots" to be convinced of this. This proves that the synthesis ofimages has reached maturity. The progress that has been made in the last few years allows one to predict the use ofrealistic illustrations in more and more domains ofapplication. It is thus understandable that more and more people seek to understand how these images are produced. Such a person may be an amateur who likes to understand in a general way the processing involved, or he may be a computer scientist who wants to develop some new application using graphics procedures. This book by Michel Bret meets these desires by giving a complete overview of the techniques of image synthesis by computer. The different stages of the creation of a numerical image are explained in detail, and they are accompanied by descriptions of the most modem methods. Thus the geometrical models that are described go from those with plane polygonal facets, via surfaces of all types, to systems of panicles. Visualization is treated in complete detail, and due attention is given to all the various roads that lead to a realistic image: simple projections on the basis of wire-frame models, the elimination of hidden pans, and fmally the modelling oflight and its effects.

Finally, a non-technical introduction to Pixar's RenderMan written for artists!

Biomedical Image Synthesis and Simulations: Methods and Applications presents the latest on basic concepts and applications in image-based simulation and synthesis used in medical and biomedical imaging. Sections introduce and describe the simulation and synthesis methods that were developed and successfully used within the last twenty years and give examples of successful applications of these methods. As the book provides a survey of all the commonly established approaches and more recent deep learning methods, it is highly suitable for graduate students and researchers in medical and biomedical imaging.

Information Theory (IT) tools, widely used in many scientific fields such as engineering, physics, genetics, neuroscience, and many others, are also useful transversal tools in image processing. In this book, we present the basic concepts of IT and how they have been used in the image processing areas of registration, segmentation, video processing, and computational aesthetics. Some of the approaches presented, such as the application of mutual information to registration, are the state of the art in the field. All techniques presented in this book have been previously published in peer-reviewed conference proceedings or international journals. We have stressed here their common aspects, and presented them in an unified way, so to make clear to the reader which problems IT tools can help to solve, which specific tools to use, and how to apply them. The IT basics are presented so as to be self-contained in the book. The intended audiences are students and practitioners of image processing and related areas such as computer graphics and visualization. In addition, students and practitioners of IT will be interested in knowing about these applications.