Updated with 4N Watch image
I just returned from the SIGGRAPH conference which is a mecca for advanced computer graphics and related research. The event is a unique mix of academic research and commercial developments. This year the conference was held in the Los Angeles Convention Center bringing it close to Hollywood and the movie special effects industry. This year’s show also featured a lot of research projects in virtual reality (VR) enabled by the development of relatively inexpensive VR headsets, such as the Oculus Rift. But while much of the discussion on VR focuses on stereoscopic headsets, there was another form of virtual reality on display in the
To prove how real the new tools can make a virtual product, NVIDIA pitted real products up against the virtual version to the very discerning audience of computer graphics pros. And after witnessing the demo in person, I can say the demo was very effective and I had a hard time picking the real product from the “Memorex” version (a reference to those of you old enough to remember the old “is it live or is it Memorex” commercial for cassette tapes). The demo placed a real DeWalt power drill in a light box and compared it to the computer rendered version. Looking at both side-by-side on a monitor, I found it difficult to tell which image was real and which was rendered. Try for yourself in the picture below.
Ultimately, the lighting on the real image created more glare that wasn’t present in the rendered version – tipped me off was that the image on the right was the real drill (whew). A similar test was set up with a Santa Cruz Bicycle frame and it was equally difficult to discern the real from the computer generated. To a casual observer, it would be impossible to tell the two apart.
In addition to the “real or rendered” challenge demos, there was also rendered view of the 4N Watch, which is a $195,000 mechanical “digital” watch with exposed gears and wheels. The rendered version was complete with accurate movement, designed by FashionLab’s François Quentin using Dassault’s Catia Live Rendering software, which uses NVIDIA’s Iray renderer. The watch is stunning in reality as well - the designer was on hand with one of the real limited-production watches.
These demos illustrate the ability to build extremely realistic prototypes of complex products in a virtual domain that can be easily manipulated before committing to production components and materials using physically based rendering (PBR). These techniques, appropriate enough for the LA locale, have been used for movies special effects and video games development. With NVIDIA’s DesignWorks, mainstream product designers can take advantage of the company’s PBR and also in the work it’s done creating physically based materials. NVIDIA also released the Material Design Language (MDL), allowing designers to create and share different materials for the PBR (and yes, there were Pabst Blue Ribbon beer cans around the software design team offices, but I was told they were for decorative use only). MDL will also be available soon as a software development kit.
While the software may be free or come bundled in 3rd party design programs like 3DS Max and Catia, the ultimate result is to sell more of NVIDIA’s Quadro professional graphics boards. And although NVIDIA’s GeForce PC graphics business drives volume and manufacturing efficiencies, the company’s Quadro business drives more profit dollars. The demos ran on a Windows PC with a pair of Quadro M6000 graphics cards in it. The bottom line is that NVIDIA continues to invest in spreading its professional graphics business to new customers and markets with sophisticated design tools like DesignWorks.
Note: The 4N Watch image above is rendered. A side-by-side comparison wasn't possible with a working watch and a mostly static rendering.
Kevin Krewell
Tirias Research
Disclaimer Note: Tirias Research has consulting engagements with many high tech businesses, including NVIDIA, cited in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any companies cited in this column.
