Capturing and representing BRDFs for Virtual Reality

Photorealistic rendering of real world environments and high quality material models are becoming increasingly important in a range of different areas, including Visual Special effects, Interior/Exterior Modelling, Architectural Modelling, Cultural Heritage, Computer Games, Automotive Design and Virtual Reality. Currently, rendering systems are able to produce photorealistic simulations of the appearance of many real-world materials. In the real world, viewer perception of objects depends on the lighting and object/material/surface characteristics, the way a surface interacts with the light and on how the light is reflected, scattered, absorbed by the surface and the impact these characteristics have on material appearance. In order to re-produce this, it is necessary to understand how materials interact with light. Thus the representation and acquisition of material models has become such an active research area. Currently, no material model nor acquisition setup is without limitations in terms of the variety of existing materials and they range considerably in terms of portability and ease of use. In this course we describe the state of the art in material appearance acquisition and modelling. We also discuss the need for high quality material models from the Interior Design industry perspectives, by means of a case study which highlights the importance of appropriate material models. Yulio, a new platform for the creation, delivery, and visualization of VR will be used for the case study, visually demonstrating the importance of acquired material models and reverse engineered cloth models in immersive experiences for architecture and design