Sydgraph presentation 2004
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Vislab has transitioned from a service-oriented organization to focus more on research using open-source and emerging technologies. It now has access to several computer clusters for graphics processing. Projects include the Access-Grid collaboration tool, the Chromium graphics cluster, and exploring open-source rendering software like Yafray. The goal is to enable real-time collaboration on 3D data across applications, clusters, and networks using tools like Verse. Challenges include usability and whether artists will embrace open-source approaches.
![The big picture
Gimp
Verse
Verse
Server
Verse
Verse
[Render]
Blender
Linux Cluster
GL App
Chromium
Renderers
MJpeg
AG/
Internet
Video (Vic)
User
Rest of world
Audio (Rat)
VOIP
Asterix/
Bayonne
POTS](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/sydgraph-presentation-131118082738-phpapp02/85/Sydgraph-presentation-2004-18-320.jpg)
Sydgraph presentation 2004
- 1. Vislab, Open-Source and Emerging Technologies Vislab: What's been happening and where are we heading Open-Source: The state of play in graphics How one can help the other
- 2. Vislab Founded in 1991 by Bernard Pailthorpe. Employed Ben Simons, Chris Willing, others. Extremely successful for over 10 years. However, changes in computing require a change in structure: less service-oriented, more research. Bernard leaves to go to UQ. Masa takes over as director. Ben goes to CORE in Toronto, Steve “takes over” Ben's role.
- 3. Vislab v2.0 Vislab moves to Madsen building Now more research oriented, includes clusters and super-computing in its mandate
- 4. Clusters We now have access to facilities of AC3 Barossa: 155 dual-Xeon nodes Others (64 processor SGI, NEC Vector computer)
- 5. Clusters We have our own clusters 22 processor Intel cluster, Gigabit backbone. Currently OpenMosix, will convert to MPI 12 node SGI cluster using old O2 machines
- 6. Access-Grid Access-Grid is a network collaboration tool. st OpenSource success: 1 all-Linux AG, DPPT for OpenOffice, Firewire cameras. Chris has now left, but work will continue.
- 7. Access-Grid But full potential is not being realised
- 9. Chromium
- 10. Chromium Other SPUs possible Software GL Renderer GL-App Image 'Stitcher' Tile Processor Software GL Renderer Video Encoder Network
- 11. Blender Open-Source modeller, animation framework and renderer:
- 12. Blender Interesting for a number of reasons... Completely OpenGL based (see Chromium), including the general-purpose widget toolkit. Contains game-engine. PowerPoint style presentations? Python scripting framework, including access to GUI system. Write plugins, shaders, etc. in python. Not perfect (UI could use some work) but capable of good stuff already ...
- 13. Blender
- 14. Open-Source Software Rendering Chromium isn't the only sort of graphics clustering we're interested in. Clusters widely used in film industry, but are frame-based. We want to parallelise below the frame level. So we need to do it ourselves. Open-Source allows us to do this in ways proprietary software doesn't. So what type of rendering do we want to provide?
- 15. Raytracing / Global Illumination Basic raytracing/GI engines two-a-penny. Best of breed at the moment is Yafray: Does threaded/SMP rendering. Forking rendering fixed, MPI implemented!
- 16. Renderman Some “free” ones available, but not all are free-enough for our needs. Of interest are Pixie (most of PRMan-11), and Aqsis. Either could probably be modified to use MPI. Lucille: MPI capable already (author works with AC3). But too young for the time-being.
- 17. Interconnection and Interaction We need a bridge between 3D applications, 2D applications, render-cluster and Access-Grid. We would like 2-way interaction: Realtime collaboration on 3D data. Verse 2D and 3D exchange of data Low-latency and lightweight Python bindings already exist Major initiative now funded.
- 18. The big picture Gimp Verse Verse Server Verse Verse [Render] Blender Linux Cluster GL App Chromium Renderers MJpeg AG/ Internet Video (Vic) User Rest of world Audio (Rat) VOIP Asterix/ Bayonne POTS
- 19. Other Stuff of Interest Gimp just hit 2.0 Now has full Windows support Modified version ('Cinepaint') widely used in film industry for post-production work Asterix and Bayonne VOIP enabled PABX system. Bridge between AG and POTS.
- 20. It's not all roses of course Usability: Already a problem elsewhere. But users are the best people to put back in here. Culture: Do artists “get-it”? Students seem to want to focus on products rather than skills. Is FOSS being pushed out of Graphics field? Blender creator thinks so. But this is needed: Graphics tools are expensive.