Methods, systems, and computer code on computer-readable media are provided that are directed to generating area skyline data using a digital elevation or surface models (DEMs or DESs) and shadow casting techniques. Some embodiments use an area of maximum shadow line overlap, for shadow line images based on target location skyline azimuth and elevation angle data, as the best approximation for the position of the target location in an area. Some embodiments select the location showing the best fit to the target skyline azimuth and elevation angle data as the best approximation for the target location.

The present disclosure relates to a method and capturing arrangement for creating a three-dimensional model of a scene. The model comprises a three-dimensional space comprising a plurality of discrete three-dimensional volume elements (V.sub.1,1, V.sub.1,2) associated with three initial direction-independent color values and an initial opacity value. The method comprises obtaining a plurality of images of said scene and defining a minimization problem. Wherein the minimization problem comprises three residuals, one for each color value, wherein each residual is based on the difference between (a) the color value of each image element of each image and (b) an accumulated direction-independent color value of the volume along each ray path of each image element. The method further comprises creating the three-dimensional model of the scene by solving said minimization problem.

A method of rendering an image of three-dimensional laser scan data (6) is described. The method includes providing a range cube map (25) and a corresponding image cube map (26; 27), generating a tessellation pattern using the range cube map and rendering an image based on the tessellation pattern by sampling the image cube map.

A virtual viewpoint foreground image generating unit generates a virtual viewpoint foreground image, which is an image of a foreground object seen from a virtual viewpoint without a shadow, based on received multi-viewpoint images and a received virtual viewpoint parameter. A virtual viewpoint background image generating unit generates a virtual viewpoint background image, which is an image of a background object seen from the virtual viewpoint, based on the received multi-viewpoint images and virtual viewpoint parameter. A shadow mask image generating unit generates shadow mask images from the received multi-viewpoint images. A shadow-added virtual viewpoint background image generating unit renders a shadow in the virtual viewpoint background image based on the received virtual viewpoint background image, shadow mask images, and virtual viewpoint parameter. A combined image generating unit generates a virtual viewpoint image by combining the virtual viewpoint foreground image with the shadow-added virtual viewpoint background image.

A method may include presenting a scene from linear content on one or more display devices in an immersive environment, and receiving, from a user within the immersive environment, input to change an aspect of the scene. The method may also include accessing 3-D virtual scene information previously used to render the scene, and changing the 3-D virtual scene information according to the changed aspect of the scene. The method may additionally include rending the 3-D virtual scene to incorporate the changed aspect, and presenting the rendered scene in real time in the immersive user environment.

Methods and systems for generating virtual sensor data for developing or testing computer vision detection algorithms are described. A system and a method may involve generating a virtual environment. The system and the method may also involve positioning a virtual sensor at a first location in the virtual environment. The system and the method may also involve recording data characterizing the virtual environment, the data corresponding to information generated by the virtual sensor sensing the virtual environment. The system and the method may further involves annotating the data with a depth map characterizing a spatial relationship between the virtual sensor and the virtual environment.

Techniques related to non-rigid transformations for articulated bodies are discussed. Such techniques may include repeatedly selecting target positions for matching a kinematic model of an articulated body, generating virtual end-effectors for the kinematic model and corresponding to the target positions, generating an inverse kinematics problem including a Jacobian matrix, and determining a change in kinematic model parameters based on the inverse kinematics problem until a convergence is attained.

To simulate the effect of shadows in an image being rendered a light source bounding frustum is produced for a tile for a light source, and used to determine a set of geometry for the tile that could cast a shadow in the tile. The determined set of geometry is then used to determine a light source visibility parameter for each sampling position in the tile by determining for each tile screen space sampling position, whether rays cast between the tile sampling position and a set of sampling positions representing the light source would intersect occluding geometry or not. The determined number of visible light source sampling positions for each tile sampling position is used to determine a light source visibility parameter value for each tile sampling position, and the determined light source visibility parameters are then used to modulate the light source when shading the geometry.

A method renders photorealistic images in a web browser. The method is performed at a computing device having a general purpose processor and a graphics processing unit (GPU). The method includes obtaining an environment map and images of an input scene. The method also includes computing textures for the input scene including by encoding an acceleration structure of the input scene. The method further includes transmitting the textures to shaders executing on a GPU. The method includes generating samples of the input scene, by performing at least one path tracing algorithm on the GPU, according to the textures. The method also includes lighting or illuminating a sample of the input scene using the environment map, to obtain a lighted scene, and tone mapping the lighted scene. The method includes drawing output on a canvas, in the web browser, based on the tone-mapped scene to render the input scene.

A system of properly displaying chroma key content is presented. The system obtains a digital representation of a 3D environment, for example a digital photo, and gathers data from that digital representation. The system renders the digital representation in an environmental model and displays that digital representation upon an output device. Depending upon the context, content anchors of the environmental model are selected which will be altered by suitable chroma key content. The chroma key content takes into consideration the position and orientation of the chroma key content relative to the content anchor and relative to the point of view that the environmental model is displayed from in order to accurately display chroma key content in a realistic manner.