LUMIERE:
Lighting and visualization simulation in real time for CAD industrial applications

Background
The virtual CAD prototypes are used at the same time for the design of the final object and the design review of the associated project. These two types of use bring several constraints on the way in which the virtual prototypes must be visualized. Moreover, the use for ends of design requires fluidity and esthetics in the visualization on a large scale, as well as a very great realism in the management of lighting (reflections, brightness,…). On the other hand, the use by the teams of design and realization requires precision and interactivity of the image processing. The objects of very large sizes must be handled in an interactive way as well as the sources of lighting which emphasize them.

Projects objectives
The project objectives consist in assembling a coherent and complete simulation chaine, including hardware and software, dedicated to the CAD object virtual image generation. The simulation shall take into account the lighting effects and the large scale visualization.

The realism in the image generation and rendering, can be obtained using new innovative solutions:

  • The Photon Maps can be used to handle lighting issues and build synthetic images
  • Diffuse light, source light reflexions and physical material properties modeling
  • Clusters of PCs with modern graphic boards can be used to speed the rendering part

    Achievements

  • The project is still running

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    Customer

    The LUMIERE project is founded in the frame of the french Research Ministry under the RNTL initiative. The project runs from 2003 to 2006 for a global budget of 1,5MEUR.
    The french partners involved in the project are:
  • Oktal-SE (leader)
  • IRIT - Toulouse University
  • Renault Research
  • OKTAL
  • EADS-CRC