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RM Scene Graph Overview
OpenRM Scene Graph Overview |
Technical Publications and Reference Material | OpenRM and Chromium | OpenRM and CAVElib |
Visit the purchase and download page to obtain a copy of the 21-Chapter, 578-page RM/OpenRM Programming Guide.
While commodity computing and graphics hardware has increased in capacity and dropped in cost, it is still quite difficult to make effective use of such systems for general-purpose parallel visualization and graphics. We describe the results of a recent project that provides a software infrastructure suitable for general-purpose use by parallel visualization and graphics applications. Our work combines and extends two technologies: Chromium, a stream-oriented framework that implements the OpenGL programming interface; and OpenRM Scene Graph, a pipelined-parallel scene graph interface for graphics data management. Using this combination, we implement a sort-first, distributed memory parallel volume rendering application. We describe the performance characteristics in terms of bandwidth requirements and highlight key algorithmic considerations needed to implement the sort-first system. We characterize system performance using a distributed memory parallel volume rendering application, and present performance gains realized by using scene specific knowledge to accelerate rendering through reduced network traffic. The contribution of this work is an exploration of general-purpose, sort-first architecture performance characteristics as applied to distributed memory, commodity hardware, along with a description of the algorithmic support needed to realize parallel, sort-first implementations.
W. Bethel (R3vis Corporation/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), G. Humphreys (University of Virginia), B. Paul (Tungsten Graphics), J. Dean Brederson (University of Utah). In Proceedings of IEEE Symposium on Parallel and Large-Data Visualization and Graphics 2003, October 20-21, 2003, Seattle, Washington, USA, pp. 41-50. (bibtex)
This paper highlights the technical challenges of creating an application that combines a multithreaded scene graph system for rendering with a software environment for management of tiled display environments. Scene graph systems simplify and streamline graphics applications by providing data management and rendering services. Software for tiled display environments simplifies use of multiple displays by performing such tasks as opening windows on displays, gathering and processing input device events, and orchestrating the execution of application rendering code. We explore technical issues in the context of an application that integrates both software tools, and formulate suggestions for the future development of such systems.
W. Bethel (R3vis Corporation), R. Frank (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), J. D. Brederson (Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, University of Utah). In Stereoscopic Displays and Virtual Reality Systems IX, A. Woods, J. Merritt, S. Benton, M. Bolas (eds.), Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 4660, pages 430-436, 2002. (bibtex)
We present a scene graph architecture that features and supports parallelism at multiple levels. Hierarchical parallelism increases overall end-to-end throughput at each stage of the graphics pipeline, from database creation through rendering. A thread-safe scene graph is the fundamental data structure in our design model. Multiple rendering engines may simultaneously read from the scene graph, and multiple application threads may simultaneously write to the scene graph. Each rendering engine in this architecture is itself a multistage, multithreaded software component that draws to separate hardware-accelerated displays. We describe the data structures and access methods that provide thread safety amongst multiple rendering engines and outline how an individual multistage, multithreaded rendering engine uses this infrastructure efficiently.
Submitted to the 2001 IEEE Symposium on Parallel and Large Data Visualization and Graphics (PVG 2001). W. Bethel (R3vis Corporation) and J.D. Brederson (Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, University of Utah).
This white paper describes how OpenRM and Chromium are used together to implement distributed memory parallel rendering and visualization. The target application area ditributed memory parallel graphics and visualization applications driving clusters of graphics PCs and tiled projection arrays.
This document contains technical specifications and implementation details for OpenRM's multistage, pipelined-parallel rendering engine, along with information about the internal data structures and management techniques used to implement thread safety in the scene graph. This document is part of the Final Report submitted to the U.S. Department of Energy in mid-2001 to conclude our FY2000 Phase I SBIR research work.
This White Paper describes a technical blueprint for an application that uses the CAVE Library for input device managment and OpenRM Scene Graph for rendering. Example code is included.
Some form of scene graph technology lies at the heart of every graphics application. Despite such a central role in so many applications, this fundamental technology is often misunderstood. In this article, we provide an overview of scene graph technology along with glimpses of how it is used today and how it could affect future applications. Note: Wes's email address listed in the Tom's Hardware guide has been retired due to excessive spam. His new email address is ewbethel06 at r3vis dot com.
This White Paper presents an introduction to scene graph technology along with the technical and developmental design considerations that contributed to the crafting of the RM Scene Graph technology. Note that this White Paper, dated 1999, is extremely out of date and in need of revision. It is included here for the sake of the historically curious.
This section is not yet written. For now, the link points to the main OpenRM/Chromium web page on this site. It will eventually be updated to contain a more complete How-To.
Presents a FAQ related to using OpenRM/RM with CAVElib applications, including coding examples, and a link to the OpenRM/CAVElib white paper (same white paper linked from this page).
Following widespread adoption and use, the scene graph model has proven to be a popular and powerful development tool because it enables the rapid creation of portable and efficient graphics applications. Unfortunately, not all applications fit within the boundaries imposed by a scene graph model. This panel will examine issues related to scene graph technology.
W. Bethel (R3vis Corporation/LBNL), Andries van Dam (Brown University), Sharon Rose Clay (SGI), Henry Sowrizal (Sun Microsystems), Carl Bass (Autodesk), Michael T. Jones (Intrinsic Graphics), Brian Hook (Verant Interactive). Presented at Siggraph 1999, July 1999, Los Angeles CA, USA.
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