Rendering Engine Built to Generate High-Quality Images of Brain Simulations

[Lee Margetts]

Rendering Engine Built to Generate High-Quality Images of Brain Simulations
Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (Spain) (10/03/11) Eduardo Martinez

Universidad Politecnica de Madrid researchers have developed a cerebral cortex image-rendering engine that can create three-dimensional videos and movies to promote the scientific understanding of the Blue Brain Project (BBP). BBP is an attempt to reverse engineer the mammalian brain using computer simulations to study brain function and dysfunction. The new image-rendering engine, which can produce BBP neuron models and simulations, uses a ray tracing-based rendering technique to generate high-quality images. The researchers used a new algorithm to imitate how rays of light interact with surfaces to simulate a range of optical phenomena, such as reflection, refraction, and dispersion. The ray tracing software is integrated into the BBP software architecture. The project also used a technique that can display simulation information by assigning color and transparency to the neuron depending on the magnitude being represented.

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