Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for adaptive sampling for rendering using deep learning. This includes receiving, at a sampler in a rendering pipeline, a plurality of rendered pixel data, wherein the sampler includes a first machine learning (ML) model. It further includes generating a sampling map for the rendering pipeline using the first ML model and the plurality of rendered pixel data, including predicting a plurality of pixel values in the sampling map based on a generated distribution of pixel values. It further includes rendering an image using the sampler, the sampling map, and a denoiser in the rendering pipeline.

Abstract: A system includes a hardware processor and a system memory storing software code and one or more machine learning (ML) models. The hardware processor is configured to execute the software code to train a first ML model of the one or more ML models as a denoising feature selector, generate, using the trained first ML model a plurality of candidate feature sets, and identify a best volumetric feature set of the plurality of candidate feature sets using a predetermined selection criterion. The hardware processor is further configured to execute the software code to train, using the identified best volumetric feature set, one of the first ML model or a second ML model of the one or more ML models as a denoiser, receive an image including noise due to rendering, and denoise, using the trained denoiser, the noise due to rendering to produce a denoised image.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for performing frame interpolation. The technique includes generating (i) a first set of feature maps based on a first set of rendering features associated with a first key frame, (ii) a second set of feature maps based on a second set of rendering features associated with a second key frame, and (iii) a third set of feature maps based on a third set of rendering features associated with a target frame. The technique also includes applying one or more neural networks to the first, second, and third set of feature maps to generate a set of mappings from a first set of pixels in the first key frame to a second set of pixels in the target frame. The technique further includes generating the target frame based on the set of mappings.

Abstract: Techniques are described for designing and manufacturing a surface that produces a desired image when illuminated by a light source. As described, the desired image may be decomposed into a collection of Gaussian kernels (referred to as Gaussians). A shape of a micropatch lens corresponding to each Gaussian may be determined, and the resulting micropatch lenses may be assembled to form a highly continuous surface that will cast an approximation of the desired image formed form the sum of a plurality of Gaussian caustics. The disclosed techniques may be used to create a design for a light-redirecting surface amenable to milling (or other manufacturing process).

Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for rendering heterogeneous polydisperse granular media. In one aspect, a rendering application renders such granular media using a combination of explicit path tracing and accelerated path construction using proxy path tracing, shell tracing, and volumetric path tracing. In proxy path tracing in particular, the rendering application instantiates proxy geometry in the form of a bounding sphere and determines internal scattering in the grain using a precomputed grain scattering distribution function that relates incident and outgoing radiance functions on the bounding sphere. In shell tracing, the rendering application uses shells to aggregate many grain interactions into a single step.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for rendering heterogeneous polydisperse granular media. In one aspect, a rendering application renders such granular media using a combination of explicit path tracing and accelerated path construction using proxy path tracing, shell tracing, and volumetric path tracing. In proxy path tracing in particular, the rendering application instantiates proxy geometry in the form of a bounding sphere and determines internal scattering in the grain using a precomputed grain scattering distribution function that relates incident and outgoing radiance functions on the bounding sphere. In shell tracing, the rendering application uses shells to aggregate many grain interactions into a single step.

Abstract: A method for creating a replication material corresponding to the appearance of a translucent or partially translucent target material. The appearance of the target material can be measured or may be prescribed by a user. The method includes receiving by a processor optical data related to a target subsurface scattering parameter of the target material. Once the processor has received the optical or light characteristic data, the method includes determining by the processor a replication pigment concentration to replicate the appearance of the target material caused by the target subsurface scattering parameter. The processor determines this concentration based on a plurality of pigment subsurface scattering parameters corresponding to a plurality of stored pigment concentrations in the computing device. Once the replication pigment concentration has been determined, the method includes creating, physically or virtually, the replication material by combining the pigment concentration with a base material.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for rendering granular media. According to one aspect of the disclosure, granular media are rendered using bidirectional point scattering distribution functions (BPSDFs). The dimensionality of BPSDFs may be reduced by making certain assumptions, such as random orientations of grains, thereby simplifying light transport for computational efficiency. To generate a BPSDF from a grain, light transport may be precomputed using a Monte Carlo simulation in which photons are shot onto the grain from all directions. The precomputed BPSDF may be used, during rendering, for describing the interactions within grains. When a light ray traced during rendering intersects proxy geometry which replaces grain geometry, the BPSDF may be evaluated to determine light transport. By repeating this process for many light rays in a Monte Carlo simulation, the light propagation through the granular medium may be determined.

Abstract: Techniques are described for designing and manufacturing a surface that produces a desired image when illuminated by a light source. As described, the desired image may be decomposed into a collection of Gaussian kernels (referred to as Gaussians). A shape of a micropatch lens corresponding to each Gaussian may be determined, and the resulting micropatch lenses may be assembled to form a highly continuous surface that will cast an approximation of the desired image formed form the sum of a plurality of Gaussian caustics. The disclosed techniques may be used to create a design for a light-redirecting surface amenable to milling (or other manufacturing process).

Abstract: Techniques are described for designing and manufacturing a surface that produces a desired image when illuminated by a light source. As described, the desired image may be decomposed into a collection of Gaussian kernels (referred to as Gaussians). A shape of a micropatch lens corresponding to each Gaussian may be determined, and the resulting micropatch lenses may be assembled to form a highly continuous surface that will cast an approximation of the desired image formed form the sum of a plurality of Gaussian caustics. The disclosed techniques may be used to create a design for a light-redirecting surface amenable to milling (or other manufacturing process).

Abstract: Techniques are described for designing and manufacturing a refractive surface that produces a desired image when placed over a target image. The refractive lens surface may include a set of lens patches, each of which indexes a region on the source image to refract light from the indexed region to recreate a patch of the target image. And together, the lenses reproduce the target image. In one embodiment, the refractive geometry of the lens surface (i.e., the shape of each lens) is determined by formulating and efficiently determining a solution to an inverse light transport problem. The solution may account for additional constraints imposed by the physical manufacturing procedure. Doing so results in a design for a refractive surface amenable to milling (or other manufacturing process).

Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for rendering granular media. According to one aspect of the disclosure, granular media are rendered using bidirectional point scattering distribution functions (BPSDFs). The dimensionality of BPSDFs may be reduced by making certain assumptions, such as random orientations of grains, thereby simplifying light transport for computational efficiency. To generate a BPSDF from a grain, light transport may be precomputed using a Monte Carlo simulation in which photons are shot onto the grain from all directions. The precomputed BPSDF may be used, during rendering, for describing the interactions within grains. When a light ray traced during rendering intersects proxy geometry which replaces grain geometry, the BPSDF may be evaluated to determine light transport. By repeating this process for many light rays in a Monte Carlo simulation, the light propagation through the granular medium may be determined.

Abstract: A method for creating a replication material corresponding to the appearance of a translucent or partially translucent target material. The appearance of the target material can be measured or may be prescribed by a user. The method includes receiving by a processor optical data related to a target subsurface scattering parameter of the target material. Once the processor has received the optical or light characteristic data, the method includes determining by the processor a replication pigment concentration to replicate the appearance of the target material caused by the target subsurface scattering parameter. The processor determines this concentration based on a plurality of pigment subsurface scattering parameters corresponding to a plurality of stored pigment concentrations in the computing device. Once the replication pigment concentration has been determined, the method includes creating, physically or virtually, the replication material by combining the pigment concentration with a base material.

Abstract: Techniques are described for designing and manufacturing a refractive surface that produces a desired image when placed over a target image. The refractive lens surface may include a set of lens patches, each of which indexes a region on the source image to refract light from the indexed region to recreate a patch of the target image. And together, the lenses reproduce the target image. In one embodiment, the refractive geometry of the lens surface (i.e., the shape of each lens) is determined by formulating and efficiently determining a solution to an inverse light transport problem. The solution may account for additional constraints imposed by the physical manufacturing procedure. Doing so results in a design for a refractive surface amenable to milling (or other manufacturing process).

Abstract: Techniques are described for designing and manufacturing a surface that produces a desired image when illuminated by a light source. As described, the desired image may be decomposed into a collection of Gaussian kernels (referred to as Gaussians). A shape of a micropatch lens corresponding to each Gaussian may be determined, and the resulting micropatch lenses may be assembled to form a highly continuous surface that will cast an approximation of the desired image formed form the sum of a plurality of Gaussian caustics. The disclosed techniques may be used to create a design for a light-redirecting surface amenable to milling (or other manufacturing process).