| Graphics hardware has begun to exhibit more general mathematical functionality, suggesting that a wider range of mathematical operations can be implemented in hardware. In order to explore what can and cannot be implemented in current hardware and to study necessary hardware functionality for even more general calculations, single interaction ray-tracing is studied. The image created by refraction of light from a time-dependent height field is calculated in real-time using graphics hardware. Many of the physical parameters of the scene can be interactively modified. This demonstrates that non-trivial calculations can be performed in hardware at interactive rates. |
