This course introduces the fundamentals of image processing and computer graphics, which are necessary for the analysis and processing of image data and for the reconstruction, modelling, animation and photo-realistic rendering of 3D scenery. You will learn about key computer graphics concepts including graphics primitives, lighting and shading, texture mapping, ray tracing, and curve and surface representation. Furthermore, image processing fundamentals are presented such as image definition and representation, perception and colour models, grey level and colour enhancement, neighbourhood operations, filtering and image segmentation. Basic geometric processes for image analysis and scene formation will be discussed including geometric transformations, viewing and projection matrices, and digital geometry.
The course aims to balance both the theoretical (mathematical) underpinnings of computer graphics and image processing as well as the practical experience with writing code in the respective areas. Lab exercises based on Coderunner and a programming assignment are components of the course to give hands-on experience.
COMPSCI 373 delivers the necessary basic understanding of computer graphics and image processing methodology, which may lead to projects or post-graduate courses in computer graphics, game development, visualisation, virtual and augmented reality, or computer vision. These topics are exciting research areas, e.g.:
- combined with machine learning and neural networks, image-based scene understanding has recently seen great success in applications like autonomous driving or medical image analysis
- merging graphics and image processing, virtual and augmented reality allows us to experience and explore realistically generated 3D worlds or to overlay synthetically created information onto the real world
Furthermore, these topics are also areas where specialists are sought by industry (e.g. gaming or robotics industry), both nationally as well as internationally.