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Ray Station

Abstract:
Ray tracing is a method for rendering 3D images that yields attractive images, but is much more computationally expensive than traditional scan conversion techniques. Most systems built to accelerate ray tracing are large and expensive. The Ray Station project aims to build a small and inexpensive system for rendering and displaying ray-traced images. The final system is expected to use several MPC555 processors running in parallel to rapidly render images to a color LCD display.


Components:

Development board made by Axiom.

LCD panel made by Purdy.

Introduction:
The completed Ray Station will be unique in several ways. First, the Ray Station uses 3D graphics. All current mainstream portable game systems are primarily 2D systems. Second, the Ray Station uses ray tracing as a method of rendering the 3D images. Current 3D games for computers and for consoles use scan conversion algorithms. Finally, the Ray Station will be the only dedicated ray-tracing hardware designed to be inexpensive, portable, and interactive.