CSE 421

Prepared By
Tanjina Akter
Lecturer, Dept. of CSE
Outline
 Introduction
 Overview of Graphics Systems
Image Basics
Graphics Hardware
○ Input
 Describing something to the computer
○ Computation
 Computing what we want to draw
○ Output
 Final representation
Computer Graphics
The definition of computer graphics is the technology
that deals with designs and pictures on computers.
Computer graphics is an art of drawing pictures on
computer screens with the help of programming. It
involves computations, creation, and manipulation of data.
In other words, we can say that computer graphics is a
rendering tool for the generation and manipulation of
images.
Main task
Modeling
Rendering
Animation
Computer Graphics and Image
Processing
Computer Graphics: Synthesize picture from
mathematical or geometrical models.

Computer Graphics Mathematical or

Picture Elements
Geometrical Model

Image
Image Processing: Analyze
Processingpicture
to derive
description of mathematical on geometrical
form of object.
What is the goal of computer graphics?
 Recognize how a visual image can be an
effective means of communication 
 Distinguish and interpret various types of
typography. 
 Utilize a broad range of type styles in
combination with visual images. 
 Use a computer to create and manipulate
images and text for use in various 
 print and digital mediums. 
Applications of Computer Graphics 

o Computational biology o Computational physics

o Computer-aided design
o Digital art o Education
o Graphic design
o Information visualization
o Scientific visualization
o Special Effects for cinema
o Video Games
o Web design
o Design 
 Early Applications of Computer Graphics
 Computer Aided Design
(CAD)
Q: Why wireframe?
 Why these apps?
A: Better conceptualization,
interaction, transfer of ideas
Computer Graphics
Applications
 Virtual Reality
 VR: User interacts and
views with a 3D world
using “more natural”
means
 Best VR?
 Data Visualization
 Scientific, Engineering,
Medical data
 Visualizing millions to
billions of data points
 See trends
 Different schemes
Computer Graphics
Applications
 Education and Training
 Models of physical,
financial, social systems
 Comprehension of
complex systems
 Computer Art
 Fine and commercial art
 Performance Art
 Aesthetic Computing
 SIGGRAPH
 Games/Movies
Computer Graphics
Applications
 Image Processing
~Inverse of Graphics
Start with a picture
Process picture
information
 Graphical User
Interfaces (GUIs)
WIMP interface
HCI
Overview of Graphics Systems
 Images
 Hardware
Input Systems
Output Systems
 Software
OpenGL
Two Dimensional Images
+Y
 Images (at least
the ones in this
class) are two
Y
dimensional
shapes. Axis
 The two axes
we will label as
X (horizontal),
and Y (vertical). (0,0) X Axis +X
 Hardware Pipeline

Input Computation Output

We want to draw a rectangle, how do we describe it to a computer?

Model (n) - object

description that a
computer
understands.
Partition the space

1. Define a set of
points (vertices) in (7,9) (14,9)
2D space.
2. Given a set of
vertices, draw
lines between (7,3) (14,3)
consecutive
vertices.

Vertex (pl. Vertices) - a point in 2 or 3 dimensional space.

Record every position

Bitmap - a rectangular array of bits mapped one-to-one with

pixels.
Position relative

Vector display system - graphical output system that was

based on strokes (as opposed to pixels). Also known as:
random, calligraphic, or stroke displays.
Representing Objects
 Most common method is the VERTEX
method. Define the object as a set of
points with connectivity information.
 Why is connectivity important?

Connectivity - information that defines

which vertices are connected to which
other vertices via edges.
Edge - connects two vertices
Model file for rectangle
 v4e4
 73
 79 (7,9) (14,9)
 14 9
 14 3
 12
 23 (7,3) (14,3)
 34
 41
Input Devices
 Locator Devices
 Keyboard
 Scanner
Images
Laser
 Cameras (research)
Locator Devices

When queried, locator devices return a

position and/or orientation.

•Mouse (2D and 3D)

•Trackball
•Joystick (2D and 3D)
 Locator Devices
When queried, locator
devices return a
position and/or
orientation.
 Tablet
 Virtual Reality
Trackers
 Data Gloves
 Digitizers
Keyboard
 Text input
List boxes, GUI
CAD/CAM
Modeling
 Hard coded
Vertex locations are inserted into code
 Scanners
 Image Scanners -
Flatbed, etc.
 What type of data is
returned? Bitmap
 Laser Scanners -
Deltasphere
 Emits a laser and does
time of flight. Returns 3D
point
 Camera based -
research
 Examine camera image(s)
and try to figure out
vertices from them.
Many others
 Light Pens
 Voice Systems
 Touch Panels
 Camera/Vision
Based
 Which is best?
Model file for rectangle
 v4e4
 73
 79 (7,9) (14,9)
 14 9
 14 3
 12
 23 (7,3) (14,3)
 34
 41
Computation Stage

Input Computation Output

 Now that we have a model of what we

want to draw, what goes on inside the
computer to generate the output?
Computation

Transformations Rasterization
Computation Stage

Computation

Model Output

Transformations Rasterization

Transformed
Model
How do we store this?

We would like to allocate memory to hold

the results of the computation stage.
Framebuffer

Framebuffer - A block of memory,

dedicated to graphics output, that holds
the contents of what will be displayed.

Pixel - one element of the framebuffer

Framebuffer
How much memory do we need to allocate

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 for
0 0the0 framebuffer?
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Questions: How many pixels are there?
Framebuffer in Memory
 If we want a framebuffer of 640 pixels by
480 pixles, we should allocate:
framebuffer = 640*480 bits
 How many bit should we allocate?
Q: What do more bits get you?

A: More values to be stored at each pixel.

Why would you want to store something
other than a 1 or 0?
Framebuffer bit depth
 How many colors does 1 bit get you?
 How many colors do 8 bits get you?
Monochrome systems use this (green/gray
scale)
 What bit depth would you want for your
framebuffer?

bit depth - number of bits allocated per pixel in a buffer

Bit depths
 16 bits per pixel (high color)
5 bits for red, 5/6 bits for green, 5 bits for blue
potential of 32 reds, 32/64 green, 32 blues
total colors: 65536
 32 bits per pixel (true color)
8 bits for red, green, blue, and alpha
potential for 256 reds, greens, and blues
total colors: 16777216 (more than the eye can
distinguish)
 Let’s look at Display Control Panel
Data Type Refresher
 bit - a 0 or 1. Can represent 2 unique
values
 byte - 8 bits. 256 values
 word - 32 bits. 4,294,967,296 values
 int - 32 bits.
 float - 32 bits
 double - 64 bits
 unsigned byte - 8 bits
Graphic Card Memory
 How much memory is on our graphic
card?
640 * 480 * 32 bits = 1,228,800 bytes
1024 * 768 * 32 bits = 3,145,728 bytes
1600 * 1200 * 32 bits = 7,680,000 bytes
 How much memory is on your graphics
card?
 As a side note: Playstation 1 has 2 MB
RAM. How do they do it? What is the
TV resolution? 1 bit alpha, no z buffer.
A: Egads! Not enough memory!
Q: What is dithering?
 Trading spatial resolution for intensity
and color depth.
 Sometimes call digital half-toning
 Increases the number of apparent colors
than are actually capable of being
displayed
True
256colors
16 color
colors
Dithering
 Why does it work? Spatial integration.
Using the fact that our eyes usually
blend areas of high frequency.
 Why do you need it? If you don’t have
enough bits. Eyes can detect 100
shades of a color. Banding occurs with
fewer colors.
 Where do you see this? Printers and
newspaper! Let’s look at the Alligator.
Black and White Dithering
Output

Input Computation Output

We have an image (framebuffer or model), now

we want to show it. Read Ch. 2 in the Hearn
and Baker handout.
 Hardcopy
 Display
Vector
Raster Scan
Hardcopy
 Printers (Resolution, color depth)
Dot Matrix - uses a head with 7 to 24 pins to
strike a ribbon (single or multiple color)
Ink Jet Printers (fires small balls of colored
ink)
Laser Printers (powder adheres to positive
charged paper)
Pen Plotters (similar to vector displays).
“infinite” resolution.
Image Quality Issues

 Screen resolution  Brightness

 Color  Contrast
 Blank space between  Refresh rate
the pixels  Sensitivity of display
 Intentional image to viewing angle
degradation
Pixels
 Pixel - The most basic addressable
image element in a screen
CRT - Color triad (RGB phosphor dots)
LCD - Single color element
 Screen Resolution - measure of number
of pixels on a screen (m by n)
m - Horizontal screen resolution
n - Vertical screen resolution
Raster Displays
 Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs), most “tube”
monitors you see. Very common, but
big and bulky.
 Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs), there
are two types transmissive (laptops,
those snazzy new flat panel monitors)
and reflective (wrist watches).
Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs)
Heating element on the yolk.
Phosphor coated screen
Electrons are boiled off the
filament and drawn to the
focusing system.
The electrons are focused into
a beam and “shot” down the
cylinder.
The deflection plates “aim”
the electrons to a specific
position on the screen.
CRT Phosphor Screen
 The screen is coated with
phosphor, 3 colors for a
color monitor, 1 for
monochrome.
 For a color monitor, three
guns light up red, green, or
blue phosphors.
 Intensity is controlled by the
amount of time at a specific
phosphor location.
Beam Movement
 Beam Movement
scan line - one row on the screen
interlace vs. non-interlace - Each frame is
either drawn entirely, or as two consecutively
drawn fields that alternate horizontal scan
lines.
vertical sync (vertical retrace) - the motion of
the beam moving from the bottom of the image
to the top, after it has drawn a frame.
refresh rate - how many frames are drawn per
second. Eye can see 24 frames per second.
TV is 30 Hz, monitors are at least 60 Hz.
 Refresh rate is important, but remember
it is different than your program’s update
rate.
 Why is higher, better?
 Vector Displays

 Unlike CRTs, vector

displays have a single gun
that is controlled to draw
lines. Think of having a
VERY FAST drawing pen.
 Pros: Diagrams/only draw
what you need
 Cons: No fill objects/Slows
with complexity
CRTs (cont.)
 Strong electrical fields and high voltage
 Very good resolution
 Heavy, not flat
Liquid Crystal Displays
(LCDs)
 Also divided into pixels, but without an
electron gun firing at a screen, LCDs
have cells that either allow light to flow
through, or block it.
Liquid Crystal Displays
 Liquid crystal displays use small flat
chips which change their transparency
properties when a voltage is applied.
 LCD elements are arranged in an n x m
array call the LCD matrix
 Level of voltage controls gray levels.
 LCDs elements do not emit light, use
backlights behind the LCD matrix
LCDs (cont.)
 Color is obtained by placing filters in front of
each LCD element
 Usually black space between pixels to
separate the filters.
 Because of the physical nature of the LCD
matrix, it is difficult to make the individual LCD
pixels very small.
 Image quality dependent on viewing angle.
Advantages of LCDs
 Flat
 Lightweight
 Low power consumption
Basic Projector Designs
(Images from Phillips Research)

                                                                                      

Reflective Projection System

                                                           
Transmittive Projection
System
3D Glasses

3D Display

3D Object
Graphics Software
 How to talk to the hardware?
 Special purpose software
Excel
AutoCAD
Medical Visualization
 Programming API
 Advantages?
 Please Read Section 2.9