Dramatic Landscapes - computer graphics modelling of natural phenomena.
Granular Re-Synthesis – statistical sound generation.
Shader Madness – build non-realistic shaders for a commercial animation system.

Please read some general information about these honours projects.

Jon McCormack will not be supervising Honours projects in 2002.
The projects below are available for students interested in having Alan Dorin as their supervisor.

Erosion and deposition of particles produces a dramatic range of natural landscapes at many different scales. From sweeping sand dunes, to tiny ripples in the silt of a stream bed, from massive glacial ravines, to delicate tendrils of snow attached to a branch or ice-crystals hanging dagger-like beneath an overhanging boulder.

This project aims to model these phenomena using simple particle-system, DLA and/or cellular automata models in order to synthesize complex landscapes and terrain.

Prior to commencing this project, students should research basic geographic structures and the means by which they are formed, paying particular attention to examples in which erosion and deposition of particles plays a part. Sample areas of introductory reading include the movement of wind, liquid water, snow and ice over the landscape and the effect of these on the formation of geographical features such as sand dunes and ripples, mountains, valleys, ravines and canyons and so forth.

The project will require basic computer graphics knowledge and a proficiency in C/C++ programming. Students intending to complete this project will need to take the course: Advanced Topics in Graphics (CSC450).

Geography Resource

Snow Deposition

Sand Dunes

• Fearing, P., "Computer Modelling of Fallen Snow", Proceedings of SIGGRAPH 2000
• Reeves, W., "Particle Systems - A Technique for Modeling a Class of Fuzzy Objects",
  Computer Graphics 17:3 pp. 359-376, 1983 (Proceedings of SIGGRAPH 1983)
• Fredston, J., Fesler, D., "Snow Sense - A guide to evaluating snow avalanche hazard", Alaska Mountain Safety Center, ISBN 0-9643994-0-7

Also maybe:

• Masselot, A., Chopard, B. Cellular Automata Modeling of Snow Transport by Wind (on-line)
• Try a google web search on cellular automata and erosion for example. Better still, visit the library!

About Granular Synthesis

Digital Performer

Truax, B. 1994. "Discovering inner complexity: Time-shifting and transposition with a real-time granulation technique". Computer Music Journal, 18 (2): 38-48.

Behles, G. and S. Starke and A. Roebel. 1998. "Quasi-Synchronous and Pitch-Synchronus Granular Sound Processing with Stampede II". Computer Music Journal, 22(2).

Roads, C. "The Computer Music Tutorial", MIT Press, Cambridge, 1995.

Granular Synthesis is a popular sound synthesis and processing technique for digital audio applications. A sampled waveform is broken up into discrete "grains" usually 2 to 20ms in duration. Each grain consists of a small set of samples that can then be processed by some function. After processing, the grains are re-assembled back into a continuously sampled waveform. On a reasonably fast machine processing can be performed in real-time.

Applications of granular synthesis include pitch-shifting, randomization, time-stretching, chorusing, and many weird and wonderful sound processing techniques unique to this particular process.

The aim of this project is to design and implement a granular re-synthesis tool. Sounds are fed into the system and broken into grains. Grains are then analyzed statistically and the results accumulated. Then, given a starting grain, it should be possible to re-synthesize a statistically similar sound using probabilistic methods.

Alternatively, one sound could be re-synthesized using the analysis from another sound. This would allow things like making a saxophone sample sound like someone talking, or a baby crying sound "statistically" like a steam train!

The project should be implemented in C or C++ and hopefully developed as a 'plug-in' for one of the popular audio editing programs (e.g. Digital Performer).

Shader Madness

The aim of this project is implement a number of shaders for the Cinema 4D modelling, animation and rendering software. A shader is an interface between a programmer and a computer graphics renderer. During the rendering process, the shader may alter the light sources properties, surface reflectances or atmospheric effects...

"By writing an appropriate shader in the shading language, a programmer can extend old shading models or implement entirely new ones, light sources can be defined with any radiant distribution, and new and novel surface properties can be introduced easily." [Upstill, 1989]

It is anticipated that the student doing this project might produce shaders which simulate the images produced by a scanning electron microscope, perhaps also the colourized imagery of infra-red or ultra-violet photography, or even the characteristic patterns formed by the faceted surfaces of butterfly wings or within drops of oil. It is hoped also that the student will implement shaders to produce some new (and creative!) image styles and surface properties. The outcomes of the project will be visualized in various still images as well as in a short computer animation produced using the shaders and Cinema 4d.

Students wishing to apply for this project will need to have (or develop/research) a thorough understanding of the following areas: computer graphics (especially rendering & shading models) and procedural texturing.

It is highly recommended that the student completing this project take the course: Advanced Topics in Graphics (CSC450). However in 2002 the rendering component of this course will not be offered. The interested student will therefore need to cover this material on their own (the supervisor will be available during regular consultation times to offer assistance in this area if it is required) if they are to successfully complete this project.

Cinema 4D (Animation Software)

Bhondi Nut (Shaders)

Deepshade (More Shaders)

Watt, A. H. & Watt, M., Advanced Animation and Rendering Techniques, Addison-Wesley, New York, 1992, Pts I-III (much of the book), especially pp322-336

Cook, R.L., "Shade Trees", Computer Graphics, 18(3), 223-231 (Proceedings of SIGGRAPH 1984)

Upstill, S., The Renderman Companion, Addison-Wesley, Reading MA, 1989 (flick through the relevant sections)