Realistic 3D Visualization Spans Design Process

By DE Editors

To extend shader technology to every user in style and digital mockup review processes, a new collaboration was announced at SIGGRAPH yesterday, August 7, 2007.

Dassault Systemes (DS; Paris, France) has teamed up with graphics technologies leaders NVIDIA Corporation (Santa Clara, CA) and mental images (Berlin, Germany & San Francisco, CA). Their purpose is to widen access to shading tools for richer, more detailed simulations that yield higher quality 3D renderings to reflect the real world.

“DS V5 Real-Time Rendering solutions, complemented by NVIDIA’s FX Composer 2.0 and mental mill shader technology from mental images, moves rendering a step ahead in realism and ease of use,” said Philippe Laufer, VP, CATIA R&D, Dassault Systemes, “allowing to accurately perceive aesthetics during the design phases.”

This next-generation of shader functionality in CATIA, ENOVIA AND DELMIA, compliant with NVIDIA CgFX shader technology and OpenGL, offers high-quality rendering to CAD users and technical artists accustomed to working in digital content creation (DCC).

Such realistic simulation renderings in conceptual design help companies make design changes and modifications early in the process. Plus, integration between NVIDIA, mental images and DS V5 products enable users to create shaders for use in CATIA-designed 3D models quickly and simply — user skill levels can range from rendering expert to CAD user to technical artists with no programming experience.

In addition to the shader technology developed in conjunction with NVIDIA and mental images, DS plans live demonstrations at SIGGRAPH’s Emerging Technologies exhibition of its 3DVIA brand strategy, including upgrades to the 3DVIA Virtools 3D Platform that enhance the development of interactive real-time 3D applications, as well as SCP.Camera, a project powered by 3DVIA Virtools technology.

For details, visit DS at 3ds.com, NVIDIA at nvidia.com, or mental images at mental images.com.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.