Computer Graphics World

MARCH 2010

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Luxology Sheds New Light on CG Imagery Luxology, an independent technology company devel- oping next-generation 3D content creation software, presented a new Studio Lighting & Illumination Kit (SLIK), created by Yazan Malkosh, which includes an extensive collection of presets, scenes, items, materials, and video tutorials to help customers light computer- generated (CG) creations. Designed specifi cally for users of Modo, Luxology’s 3D modeling, painting, and rendering application, SLIK provides realistic lighting of scenes that mimics those found in the real world of photography. “CG artists and designers often spend a fair amount of time refi ning lighting solutions to bring out the best in their models,” says Brad Peebler, president of Luxol- ogy. “With SLIK, artists are easily able to bring the real- ism of a studio shoot into a CG-based production and create amazing 3D renderings that are vivid and believable.” The kit includes an extensive collection of accurately modeled lights, tripods, booms, cameras, refl ectors, and platform backdrops, all of which have been modeled to a PRODUCT: LIGHTING Nvidia RealityServer Propels 3D Cloud Computing Nvidia and Mental Images revealed the RealityServer platform for cloud computing, a combination of GPUs and software that streams interactive, photorealistic 3D applications to any Web-connected PC, laptop, netbook, and smart phone. Nvidia RealityServer—the culmina- tion of nearly 40 collective years of hardware and software engineering by Nvidia and Mental Images—enables developers to create a new genera- tion of consumer and enterprise 3D Web applications, all with high levels of photorealism. For instance, automobile product engineering teams will be able to securely share and visualize complex 3D models of cars under different light- ing and environmental conditions, while architects and their clients will be able to review sophisticated architectural models, rendered in different settings, including day or night. Online shoppers will be able to interactively design home interiors, rearrange furniture, and view how fabrics will drape—all with perfectly accurate lighting. The RealityServer platform compris- es an Nvidia Tesla RS GPU-based server running RealityServer software from Mental Images. While photore- alistic imagery has traditionally taken 4 PRODUCT: POSTPRODUCTION March 2010 hours or days to create, this unique, integrated solution streams images of photorealistic scenes at rates approach- ing an interactive gaming experience. RealityServer software utilizes Mental Images’ Iray technology, the world’s fi rst physically correct raytracing renderer that employs the massively parallel CUDA architecture of Nvidia GPUs to create accurate photorealistic images by simulating the physics of light in its interaction with objects. The RealityServer platform is available now. Tesla RS confi gurations start at eight GPUs and scale to support increas- ing numbers of simultaneous users. high level of detail to bring studio-quality production values to customers’ scenes. The kit also includes prebuilt lighting setups that support small-, medium-, and large-scale, as well as portrait studio, photography. The Studio Lighting & Illumi- nation Kit is available now for $125. To use the kit, users must have Modo 401, sold separately.

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