The IEEE Louisville Computer Society Chapter is a co-sponsor of this Careers In Tech webinar.

Abstract: If you have ever looked at a fantastic adventure or science fiction movie, or an amazingly complex and rich computer game, or a TV commercial where cars or gas pumps or biscuits behaved liked people and wondered, “How do they do that?”, then you’ve experienced the magic of 3D worlds generated by a computer.

3D in computers began as a way to represent automotive designs and illustrate the construction of molecules. 3D graphics use evolved to visualizations of simulated data and artistic representations of imaginary worlds.

In order to overcome the processing limitations of the computer, graphics had to exploit the characteristics of the eye and brain, and develop visual tricks to simulate realism. The goal is to create graphics images that will overcome the visual cues that cause disbelief and tell the viewer this is not real.

Thousands of people over thousands of years have developed the building blocks and made the discoveries in mathematics and science to make such 3D magic possible, and Dr. Peddie’s The History of Visual Magic in Computers is dedicated to all of them and tells a little of their story.

It traces the earliest understanding of 3D and then foundational mathematics to explain and construct 3D; from mechanical computers up to today’s tablets. Several of the amazing computer graphics algorithms and tricks came of periods where eruptions of new ideas and techniques seem to occur all at once. Applications emerged as the fundamentals of how to draw lines and create realistic images were better understood, leading to hardware 3D controllers that drive the display all the way to stereovision and virtual reality.

The book maps the history of the techniques behind science fiction movies, complex and rich computer games, and TV commercials capable of making cars, gas pumps and biscuits behave like human beings.

Date:                Thursday, August 31tst                   
Time:                7:30 – 9:00 pm EASTERN
Location:          Zoom Meeting
Price:                Free
RSVP:               Register and join the meeting using the vTools information below. Note that the time listed there is Central Time.
vTools: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/364008

Speaker: Dr. Jon Peddie, President of Jon Peddie Research & Author The History of Visual Magic in Computers

Dr. Jon Peddie is a recognized pioneer in the graphics industry, President of Jon Peddie Research, and named one of the most influential analysts in the world. He lectures at numerous conferences and universities on topics pertaining to graphics technology and the emerging trends in digital media technology. Former President of Siggraph Pioneers, he serves on the advisory boards of several conferences, organizations, and companies, and contributes articles to numerous publications. In 2015, he was given the Life Time Achievement award from the CAAD society Peddie has published hundreds of papers, to date; and authored and contributed to eleven books, His most recent, “Augmented Reality, where we all will live.” Jon is a former ACM Distinguished Speaker. His latest books is, “Ray Tracing, a Tool for all.”

Images made by Cooper Dozier with DALL-E 2 and with LEGO + DALL-E 2