Path guiding for wavefront path tracing: A memory efficient approach for GPU path tracers

Creative Commons License

YALÇINER B., AKYÜZ A. O.

Computers and Graphics (Pergamon), cilt.121, 2024 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 121
  • Basım Tarihi: 2024
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.cag.2024.103945
  • Dergi Adı: Computers and Graphics (Pergamon)
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, PASCAL, Aerospace Database, Applied Science & Technology Source, Communication Abstracts, Compendex, Computer & Applied Sciences, INSPEC, Metadex, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Graphics processors, Monte Carlo rendering, Path guiding, Path tracing
  • Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

We propose a path-guiding algorithm to be incorporated into the wavefront style of path tracers (WFPTs). As WFPTs are primarily implemented on graphics processing units (GPUs), the proposed method aims to leverage the capabilities of the GPUs and reduce the hierarchical data structure and memory usage typically required for such techniques. To achieve this, our algorithm only stores the radiant exitance on a single global sparse voxel octree (SVO) data structure. Probability density functions required to guide the rays are generated on-the-fly using this data structure. The proposed approach reduces the scene-related persistent memory requirements compared to other path-guiding techniques while producing similar or better results depending on scene characteristics. To our knowledge, our algorithm is the first one that incorporates path guiding into a WFPT.