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- Bachelor Thesis (2) (remove)
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The following thesis analyses the functionality and programming capabilitiesrnof compute shaders. For this purpose, chapter 2 gives an introductionrnto compute shaders by showing how they work and how they can be programmed. In addition, the interaction of compute shaders and OpenGL 4.3 is shown through two introductory examples. Chapter 3 describes an NBodyrnsimulation that has been implemented in order to show the computational power of compute shaders and the use of shared memory. Then it is shown in chapter 4 how compute shaders can be used for physical simulationsrnand where problems may arise. In chapter 5 a specially conceived and implemented algorithm for detecting lines in images is described and then compared with the Hough transform. Lastly, a final conclusion is drawn in chapter 6.
This thesis covers the mathematical background of ray-casting as well as an exemplary implementation on graphics processing units, using a modern programming interface. The implementation is embedded within an editor, which enables the user to activate optimizations of the algorithm. Techniques like transfer functions and local illumination are available for a more realistic visualization of materials. Moreover, the user interface gives access to features like importing volumes, let one define a custom transfer function, holds controls to adjust parameters of rendering and allows to activate further techniques, which are also subject of discussion in this thesis. Benefit of all shown techniques is measured, whether it is expected to be visual or on the part of performance.