University of Perpetual Help System DALTA

Week 2

Projections and Viewing Transformations

 Learning Objectives
• Identify the difference between projection and transformation
• Understand model representation and simplication
• Enumerate the properties of polygonal model

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 Introduction
• In computer graphics there are:
• 3D models
• 2D output devices (displays and printers)
• Projective mapping (projection):
• Must take place at some point in the graphics pipeline
• Usually after the culling stages and before the rendering stage
• Viewing transformation:
• Defines the transition from the world coordinate system (WCS) to
canonical screen system (CSS) via the eye coordinate system
(ECS)
• Specifies the clipping bounds (for frustum culling) in ECS

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 Projections
• Projection: techniques for the creation of the image of an object
onto another simpler object (e.g. line, plane, surface)
• In Computer Graphics & Visualization:
• Projections are from 3D space onto 2D space
• The 2D space is referred to as the plane of projection & models the output
device

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 Perspective Projection
• Models the viewing system of our eyes
• Can be abstracted by a pinhole camera:
• Center of projection: the pinhole
• Plane of projection: the image plane (where the image is formed)
• Creates an inverted image
• Derive an upright image by placing the image ‘in front’ of the pinhole

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 Perspective Projection
• Perspective shortening:
• The size of the projection of an object is inversely proportional to its
distance from the center of projection

• Known in ancient times, then forgotten

• Leonardo da Vinci studied the laws of perspective
• Older paintings had no perspective (symbolic criteria prevailed)

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 Model Representation and Simplification
• 3D scenes in graphics are composed of various shapes and
structures:
• Geometric primitives (spheres)
• Free – form surfaces mathematically defined (NURBS patches)
• Arbitrary surfaces mathematically undefined (surface of a scanned object)
• Volume objects, where the internal structure of the object is equally
important to its boundary surface (human organ)
• Fuzzy objects (smoke)
• Models are approximate representations of the actual objects,
constructed to retain many of the properties of the object
• Models are amenable to the manipulation required by graphics
algorithms

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 Model Representation and Simplification
• Polygonal models are the most common representation for
surfaces
• Information contained in models produced is growing constantly
• Mainstream graphics applications often require or benefit from less
detailed models
• Model simplification reduces the amount of information present in
a model, without significantly sacrificing the quality of the
representation

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 Properties of Polygonal Models
• (a)Part of manifold surface
• (b)Boundary vertex of a manifold surface with boundary
• (c)Non manifold edge
• (d)Non manifold boundary vertex

• A surface model is a simplicial complex if its constituting polygons

meet only along their edges, and the edges of the model intersect
only at their endpoints

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 Properties of Polygonal Models
• A surface model is a simplicial complex if its constituting polygons
meet only along their edges, and the edges of the model intersect
only at their endpoints

• (a) Simplicial triangle mesh (b) non simplicial triangle mesh

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 Properties of Polygonal Models
• Orientable surface: surface that has 2 “sides”, like a sheet of paper
• Most of the surfaces are orientable
• On closed orientable surfaces the “external” and “internal”
portions of the surface are distinguishable
• By convention, the normal vector of a closed orientable surface
points towards “outside”
• The Moebius strip is a non – orientable surface:

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 Properties of Polygonal Models
• Orientable surface: surface that has 2 “sides”, like a sheet of paper
• Most of the surfaces are orientable
• On closed orientable surfaces the “external” and “internal”
portions of the surface are distinguishable
• By convention, the normal vector of a closed orientable surface
points towards “outside”
• The Moebius strip is a non – orientable surface:

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