What Is Ray Casting?
The problems associated with graphics can be tackled with a process called Ray casting. Although people may think that ray casting is same as ray tracing but it is not. It performs some functions which are similar to ray tracing but with greater speeds as compared to ray tracing protocols. In 1968, Arthur Appel developed the first ray casting algorithm.
Ray casting is more focused then ray tracing and 3D images can be rendered to 2 dimensional screens in an effective manner. In this method, a direct path is traced from eye to some source of light by tracking the rays of light. The effect of any element which may intersect the path between light source and the eye is reduced by ray casting but at the point of termination, the effect of these elements can be seen which can result into shadowing, reflection and refraction.
You can imagine ray casting by thinking of a light which is emitted from the eye and continues on a straight line until an object blocks it. This object will cause the light to stop or will absorb some part of it. Some other portion of light may get reflected in several directions due to this object. This object further refracts the remaining part. So, light is devoted to each of three possibilities and what the percentage of each possibility is calculated with ray casting.
The world of animation has been affected by this new technology of ray casting. The detail and depth needed in animation, which is not possible through other methods can be done with the help of ray casting because of the way by which it constructs images for designing animation for television and movies. In many animation studios, ray casting has become a common tool during the middle of 1980s.
Apart from fueling the television and movies industry, ray casting also contributed in the evolution of video games. Although it started in 1970’s and 1980’s but in 1990’s, the compelling and crisp graphics and 3D images were added to video games due to ray casting. Not only new video game designs are inspired due to ray casting but it had also enhanced the ability to use animation in television and movie productions.
Category: Technology