The purpose of this study was to investigate the suitability of using the OpenGL and OpenCL graphics application programming interfaces (APIs), to increase the speed at which 2D vector geographic information could be rendered. The research focused on rendering APIs available to the Windows operating system. In order to determine the suitability of OpenGL for efficiently rendering geographic data, this dissertation looked at how software and hardware based rendering performed. The results were then compared to that of the different rendering APIs. In order to collect the data necessary to achieve this; an in-depth study of geographic information systems (GIS), geographic coordinate systems, OpenGL and OpenCL was conducted. A simplistic 2D geographic rendering engine was then constructed using a number of graphic APIs which included GDI, GDI+, DirectX, OpenGL and the Direct2D API. The purpose of the developed rendering engine was to provide a tool on which to perform a number of rendering experiments. A large dataset was then rendered via each of the implementations. The processing times as well as image quality were recorded and analysed. This research investigated the potential issues such as acquiring data to be rendered for the API as fast as possible. This was needed to ensure saturation at the API level. Other aspects such as difficulty of implementation as well as implementation differences were examined. Additionally, leveraging the OpenCL API in conjunction with the TopoJSON storage format as a means of data compression was investigated. Compression is beneficial in that to get optimal rendering performance from OpenGL, the graphic data to be rendered needs to reside in the graphics processing unit (GPU) memory bank. More data in GPU memory in turn theoretically provides faster rendering times. The aim was to utilise the extra processing power of the GPU to decode the data and then pass it to the OpenGL API for rendering and display. This was achievable via OpenGL/OpenCL context sharing. The results of the research showed that on average, the OpenGL API provided a significant speedup of between nine and fifteen times that of GDI and GDI+. This means a faster and more performant rendering engine could be built with OpenGL at its core. Additional experiments show that the OpenGL API performed faster than GDI and GDI+ even when a dedicated graphics device is not present. A challenge early in the experiments was related to the supply of data to the graphic API. Disk access is orders of magnitude slower than the rest of the computer system. As such, in order to saturate the different graphics APIs, data had to be loaded into main memory. Using the TopoJSON storage format yielded decent data compression allowing a larger amount of data to be stored on the GPU. However, in an initial experiment, it took longer to process the TopoJSON file into a flat structure that could be utilised by OpenGL than to simply use the actual created objects, process them on the central processing unit (CPU) and then upload them directly to OpenGL. It is left as future work to develop a more efficient algorithm for converting from TopoJSON format to a format that OpenCL can utilise. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology / MSc / Unrestricted

Šiame darbe pristatysime du alternatyvius, vienus iš pačių populiariausių, realaus laiko šešėlių generavimo metodus. Tai šešėlių planų (angl. shadow maps) ir šešėlių tūrių (angl. shadow volumes) metodai. Kadangi šie metodai turi įvairių skirtingų privalumų ir trūkumų, yra nuolat tobulinami, kartais kuriami ir iš jų ir hibridiniai algoritmai, kurie perimtų kuo daugiau šių dviejų technikų gerųjų savybių. Todėl šiame darbe pamėginsime nustatyti ir įvertinti, kuriais atvejais yra vienas geresnis už kitą. / In this work we introduce to two alternative, most popular real time shadow rendering techniques. This is shadow map (or mapping) and shadow volumes techniques. Because those two methods have diferent advantages and weaknesses, there are always in development, and sometimes hybrid algorithms are created, which would absorb more good features from them. So in this work we tried to determine and rate in which cases one is better than another.

Este projeto de pesquisa trata da elaboração de um sistema de reconstrução de imagens obstétricas de fetos, em aparelhos de ultra-som convencionais, para a visualização dessas imagens em três dimensões utilizando a internet como meio de utilização do sistema, com o principal objetivo de proporcionar aos médicos ginecologistas melhor visualização do formato e das estruturas internas, e em especial da face do feto, através do processo de reconstrução tridimensional feito a partir de um conjunto de imagens bidimensionais capturadas em aparelhos convencionais de ultra-som. O uso clínico deste projeto está previsto para o setor de obstetrícia do Hospital das Clínicas de Ribeirão Preto. / This project of research deals with the laboration of a reconstruction system of obstetrics images of embryos in devices of ultrasound will be conventional the visualization of these images in three dimensions using the internet half of uses of the system, with the main objective provides to the medical gynecologists a better visualization of the format and the internal structures and in special the face of the embryo through the made process of three-dimensional reconstruction from a dataset of captured bi-dimensional images in conventional devices of ultrasound. The clinical uses of this project is foreseen will be the sector of obstetrics of the Hospital of the Clinics of Ribeirão Preto.

Magistrinio darbo metu sukurtas MaxScript ir C++/OpenGL kalbomis parašytas programų rinkinys, leidžiantis perkelti 3D Studio Max aplinkoje sukurtą objektą arba objektų grupę su jų animacija, duomenimis apie tekstūras, suglotninimo vektorius bei informaciją apie objekto spalvą bei permatomumo nustatymus į OpenGL aplinką. Taip pat buvo atlikta OpenGL priemonių, leidžiančių padaryti trimatį objektą tikroviškesniu, apžvalga ir analizė, išsiaiškinti kiekvieno metodo privalumai bei trūkumai, susipažinta su problemomis, kurios gali kilti realizuojant vieną arba kitą efektą. Remiantis atlikta analize, buvo skirtingais metodais realizuoti dažniausiai šiuolaikiniame trimačiame modeliavime naudojami grafiniai efektai. Taip pat realizuota galimybė interaktyviai valdyti trimatį objektą – vartotojui sukūrus kelis failus su skirtinga personažo animacija, reikiama objekto animacija atvaizduojama nuspaudus atitinkamą klaviatūros mygtuką. Sukurta programinė įranga bei joje realizuoti dažniausiai naudojami grafiniai efektai leido ištirti trimatės scenos sudėtingumo bei įvairių grafinių efektų naudojimo įtaką bendram scenos našumui. Eksperimentai buvo atliekami su skirtingų konfigūracijų kompiuteriais. / For the MA thesis, using MaxScript and C++/OpenGL an exporting tool has been created allowing transfer of object and/or group of objects together with their animation, textures, smooth vectors, and information regarding their colour and transparency from 3DS Max to OpenGL. Besides, summary and analysis on OpenGL tools which would raise reality of three-dimensional scenes have been accomplished; advantages and disadvantages of each method have been ascertained. Moreover, some problems and their impact on realization of one or a number of effects have been surveyed. On the basis of this analysis, various methods of graphic effects which would be used in the three-dimensional modelling nowadays have been implemented. Furthermore, possibility of interactive operating of the three-dimensional object has been implemented, i.e. as soon as the user creates a number of files with different character animation, necessary object animation is pictured after having pressed the relevant keyboard button. The created software and generally used graphic effects used in it enabled to explore the impact of three-dimensional scenes complexity and the various graphic effects on the overall scene efficiency. All experiments have been performed using computers with different configurations.

Šiame darbe nagrinėjamos populiariausios trimačių vaizdų apdorojimo technologijos DirectX ir OpenGL. Buvo atlikta jų apžvalga, pateikti šių technologijų pagrindiniai privalumai ir trūkumai bei atlikta jų lyginamoji analizė. Darbe apžvelgtos populiariausios modernios programavimo kalbos turinčios trimačių vaizdų programavimo galimybęs – C# ir C++. Panaudojant šias kalbas buvo sukurta programinė įranga skirta DirectX ir OpenGL technologijų vaizdų apdorojimo spartos tyrimui. Buvo atliktas didelis skaičius eksperimentų, kurių metu buvo siekiama nustatyti minėtų technologijų spartą vizualizuojant elementarių ir sudėtinių figūrų judesius, bei taikant skirtingą figūrų gilumą. Atlikus eksperimentinius tyrimus Windows aplinkoje buvo nustatyta, kad DirectX technologijos trimačių vaizdų vizualizavimo sparta yra didesnė. Ši savybė trimačių vaizdų vizualizavime kompiuteryje yra svarbiausia ir ypač aktuali kompiuterinių žaidimų kūrime. Greičiausiai DirectX technologija atvaizduoja trimačius vaizdus programuojant juos C# kalba. Be to, ekperimetinių tyrimų metu buvo nustatyta, kad DirectX technologija geriau išnaudoja CPU ir GPU resursus. Taipogi darbe buvo sukurta taikomoji programa – trimatis biliardo žaidimas, panaudojant efektyviausią trimačių vaizdų apdorojimo technologiją DirectX ir programavimo kalbą C#. / Three-dimensional rendering technologies DirectX and OpenGL were reviewed in this work. The comprehensive survey, review of advantages and disadvantages, and comparative analysis of these technologies was done. The most popular modern programmming languages with three-dimensional programming features were reviewed in this work. The software for testing the speed of the DirectX and OpenGL technologies was developed. A lot of experiments were done in order to determinante speed of these technologies. The experiments included vizualization of basic and complex shapes movements, and different depth of the shapes. The experimental investigations were performed in OS Windows and it was determined that the speed of DirectX technology is higher. This fact is the most important in three-dimensional rendering, especially in computer games development. DirectX technology is the fastest while programming in C#. Be to, ekperimetinių tyrimu metu buvo nustatyta, kad DirectX technologija geriau išnaudoja CPU išteklius. The application – three-dimensional biliard game was developed in this work also. DirectX technology was used and It was programmed in C#.

Nuotolinės video-okulografinės akių judesių matavimo sistemos turi mažiausią invazijos lygį, todėl yra labai paplitusios ir sparčiai vystomos. Tokios sistemos pagalba Šiaulių universitete, Technologijos fakultete įsikūręs Biomedicininės inžinerijos mokslinis centras atlieka tyrimus, susijusius su akių judesiais. Akių judesių tyrimui mokslinio centro darbuotojai dažnai naudoja tolygia trajektorija judantį taikinį. Taikinio vaizdavimui naudojamas OpenGL metodas. Šiame darbe tiriamos OpenGL metodo taikinio judėjimo trajektorijos koordinačių generavimo galimybių ribos, metodo tikslumas, spartinimo galimybės ir atliekamas lyginimas su kitu galimu taikinio judėjimo trajektorijos koordinačių generavimo metodu. / The permanent systems of video-oculographic movement measuring have the lowest level of invasion, therefore are very common and expeditiously developed. The Scientific Centre of Biomedical Engineering situated with the help of such system in Šiauliai University, Technology Faculty performs researches in relation with the movements of eyes. The workers of the scientific centre usually use a target moving along an even trajectory for the research eye movements. The method OpenGL is used to depict the target. In the present thesis, there are researched the limits of the possibilities of generating of the coordinates of the OpenGL target movement, the accuracy of the method, the possibilities of accelerating and there is performed the comparison with another possible method of generating of the coordinates of a target movement trajectory is performed.

Este projeto de pesquisa trata da elaboração de um sistema de reconstrução de imagens obstétricas de fetos, em aparelhos de ultra-som convencionais, para a visualização dessas imagens em três dimensões utilizando a internet como meio de utilização do sistema, com o principal objetivo de proporcionar aos médicos ginecologistas melhor visualização do formato e das estruturas internas, e em especial da face do feto, através do processo de reconstrução tridimensional feito a partir de um conjunto de imagens bidimensionais capturadas em aparelhos convencionais de ultra-som. O uso clínico deste projeto está previsto para o setor de obstetrícia do Hospital das Clínicas de Ribeirão Preto. / This project of research deals with the laboration of a reconstruction system of obstetrics images of embryos in devices of ultrasound will be conventional the visualization of these images in three dimensions using the internet half of uses of the system, with the main objective provides to the medical gynecologists a better visualization of the format and the internal structures and in special the face of the embryo through the made process of three-dimensional reconstruction from a dataset of captured bi-dimensional images in conventional devices of ultrasound. The clinical uses of this project is foreseen will be the sector of obstetrics of the Hospital of the Clinics of Ribeirão Preto.

Tato práce je zaměřena na multiplatformní grafická uživatelské rozhraní a jejich hardwarovou akceleraci. Popisuje, co to uživatelské rozhraní jsou a srovnává nástroje na jejich tvorbu  a způsoby jejich realizace. Hlavním bodem je vlastní návrh a implementace nástroje na tvorbu multiplatformních hardwarově akcelerovaných grafických uživatelských rozhraní. Srovnává vlastní koncept s existujícími řešeními, a uvádí ho do praxe na projektu s externí firmou.

This work presents a design and implementation of graphic user interfaces for board games. The objects of the investigation were various types of board games and graphic effects for virtual board game scene. We have developed a user interface design for different games. In the following sections the OpenGL ES library and its application to the Android platform are characterized. We explored the possibility of implementation in the native code. We have developed a system for plug-ins that allows implementing game logic in scripting language and defining the virtual scene for board game in XML language.

The computational capacity of graphics cards for general-purpose computinghave progressed fast over the last decade. A major reason is computational heavycomputer games, where standard of performance and high quality graphics constantlyrise. Another reason is better suitable technologies for programming thegraphics cards. Combined, the product is high raw performance devices andmeans to access that performance. This thesis investigates some of the currenttechnologies for general-purpose computing on graphics processing units. Technologiesare primarily compared by means of benchmarking performance andsecondarily by factors concerning programming and implementation. The choiceof technology can have a large impact on performance. The benchmark applicationfound the difference in execution time of the fastest technology, CUDA, comparedto the slowest, OpenCL, to be twice a factor of two. The benchmark applicationalso found out that the older technologies, OpenGL and DirectX, are competitivewith CUDA and OpenCL in terms of resulting raw performance.