Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2025 - CMPT 469 D100

Special Topics in Computer Graphics (3)

Class Number: 5466

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    CMPT 361 with a minimum grade of C-.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Current topics in computer graphics depending on faculty and student interest.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course covers advanced topics in computer graphics with a focus on rendering, and computer graphics for emerging applications in virtual/augmented reality and artificial intelligence. Topics include: photorealistic rendering; advanced ray tracing; light fields and volume rendering; differentiable and inverse rendering; neural rendering; level-of-detail algorithms and scene representation; and high-performance architectures for visual computing systems. The course ends with an open-ended group project where students choose a research paper and implement the techniques it describes.

Topics

  • 3D representation foundations: meshes, implicits, volumes, lightfields, pointclouds, multiview
  • Modeling 3D shapes and 3D scenes: hierarchical representations, scene graphs, level-of-detail
  • Volume rendering and advanced ray tracing
  • Neural architectures for rendering: implicit representations and neural radiance fields (NeRFs)
  • Differentiable and inverse rendering
  • Shape reconstruction and synthesis
  • High-performance graphics for artificial intelligence and virtual/augmented reality applications

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Learning Goals

  • Understand the fundamentals of advanced rendering algorithms and their use in domains such as augmented/virtual reality, machine learning, and artificial intelligence
  • Experience reading, summarising, and critiquing research papers on rendering and visual computing for AI
  • Practice synthesising ideas from papers and connecting to own research
  • Expand in-depth knowledge of rendering or image generation through a self-selected course project

Grading

NOTES:

To be announced in first week of class.

Materials

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.