Abstract: According to one implementation, a system for rendering a volume includes a computing platform having a hardware processor, and a system memory storing a volume rendering software code. The hardware processor is configured to execute the volume rendering software code to receive data characterizing a volume to be rendered and to decompose the volume into a first volume portion and a second volume portion. The hardware processor is further configured to execute the volume rendering software code to perform a first tracking of a light ray in the first volume portion to determine a first interaction distance of the light ray in the first volume portion, perform a second tracking of the light ray in the second volume portion to determine a second interaction distance of the light ray in the second volume portion, and render the volume based on the shorter of the first and second interaction distances.

Abstract: According to one implementation, a system for rendering a volume includes a computing platform having a hardware processor, and a system memory storing a volume rendering software code. The hardware processor is configured to execute the volume rendering software code to receive data characterizing a volume to be rendered and to decompose the volume into a first volume portion and a second volume portion. The hardware processor is further configured to execute the volume rendering software code to perform a first tracking of a light ray in the first volume portion to determine a first interaction distance of the light ray in the first volume portion, perform a second tracking of the light ray in the second volume portion to determine a second interaction distance of the light ray in the second volume portion, and render the volume based on the shorter of the first and second interaction distances.

Abstract: According to one exemplary implementation, a method for use by a global illumination system including a hardware processor includes identifying, using the hardware processor, a first interior vertex of multiple first interior vertices of a light path, the first interior vertices being situated within a volume having a refractive boundary. In addition, the method includes determining, using the hardware processor, a surface vertex of the light path at the refractive boundary, and determining, using the hardware processor, a linear direction from the surface vertex to a light source of the light path. The method also includes determining, using the hardware processor, one or more second interior vertices for completing the light path by constructing a path from the surface vertex to the first interior vertex, based on the linear direction, the surface vertex and the first interior vertex.

Abstract: According to one exemplary implementation, a method for use by a global illumination system including a hardware processor includes identifying, using the hardware processor, a first interior vertex of multiple first interior vertices of a light path, the first interior vertices being situated within a volume having a refractive boundary. In addition, the method includes determining, using the hardware processor, a surface vertex of the light path at the refractive boundary, and determining, using the hardware processor, a linear direction from the surface vertex to a light source of the light path. The method also includes determining, using the hardware processor, one or more second interior vertices for completing the light path by constructing a path from the surface vertex to the first interior vertex, based on the linear direction, the surface vertex and the first interior vertex.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method of distribution caching for direct lights in a scene. The system including a memory and a processor configured to execute a rendering software application to shoot a plurality of rays through a scene that includes a plurality of lights, generate a plurality of cache points at different locations throughout the scene based on the shooting of the plurality of rays, compute a list of lights for each cache point from the plurality of cache points, the list of lights including lights from the plurality of lights that provide illumination at a location of the cache point, and store the plurality of cache points in a memory. The processor may further be configured to execute the rendering software application to render the scene using the cache point database.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method of distribution caching for direct lights in a scene. The system including a memory and a processor configured to execute a rendering software application to shoot a plurality of rays through a scene that includes a plurality of lights, generate a plurality of cache points at different locations throughout the scene based on the shooting of the plurality of rays, compute a list of lights for each cache point from the plurality of cache points, the list of lights including lights from the plurality of lights that provide illumination at a location of the cache point, and store the plurality of cache points in a memory. The processor may further be configured to execute the rendering software application to render the scene using the cache point database.