RealityEngine: Visual Simulation

RealityEngine is a flexible new approach to image generation for low cost flight, ground, space, maritime and virtual reality visual simulation applications. It sets a new standard for performance, features and flexibility.

RealityEngine provides:

• True real-time, deterministic, high performance image generation with exceptional image quality at fixed frame rates

• An open hardware and software architecture, enabling rapid implementation of special effects and simplifying system evolution.

  
  

• High performance, quality anti-aliasing, up to 16 sub-samples per pixel

• Extensive texture capability - standard 4MBytes of on-line texture memory

• Unique texture image quality and features - Trilinear mip-mapping, Detail Texture, Sharp Texture, projected texture and 3D texture

• Multiple channels - up to 4 high resolution (1280x1024) outputs per system

• Z buffer (up to 32 bit) used for all hidden surface removal. Z depth calculations performed with anti-aliasing and translucency

• 12 bits per component -R, G, B, A color capability

• 4 to 48 bits per texel

• Photomap texture capability. Maximum texture size of 1024x1024 texels

• Fade level of detail

• Steerable independent spotlights with user definable lobe shape

• Lightpoint support

• Animation sequences using texture and geometry

• Atmospheric effects

• Built-in host capability

• Mission functions (height above terrain, collision detection, laser ranging, etc.)

• User definable video formats

• Load management functions

• 64 sub-pixel resolution used throughout for calculations

• Simulation specific software development environment

  
  

• 7000 anti-aliased textured polygons/pipeline at 30Hz (depth complexity of 4), 1280 x 1024 resolution

• Up to 320 million anti-aliased, tri-linear mip-map textured, Z buffered pixels per second fill rate per graphics pipeline.

• Up to 5.2 million displayable pixels per system

• 50 millisecond transport delay at 30Hz update with 60Hz refresh rate

• Up to 6 channels configurable per pipeline, and up to 12 per system

Anti-aliasing

Exceptional image quality is provided with sub-sampled anti-aliasing. Up to 16 sub-samples per pixel and 64 sub-pixel resolution at high performance, ensure that all images on RealityEngine are remarkably smooth. A unique feature at this price point is that all anti-aliasing is fully compatible with the system Z buffer. Databases can be modelled and rendered regardless of depth sorting or the use of binary separating planes. This reduces both modelling time and complexity, while increasing the flexibility of the application.

Texture Capability

Texture capabilities are extensive on RealityEngine. Size, efficiency, capacity, performance, configurability and exceptional image quality are key texture features of the system. A standard 4MBytes of on-line texture memory enables up to 380 128 x 128 simultaneous mipmapped textures. Maximum texture size is 1024 x 1024. Textures can be redefined freely within the texture memory space. High texture image quality is standard on RealityEngine: trilinear mip-mapping, full color (R, G, B, A - with 4, 8 and 12 bits/component) photorealistic texture, texture contouring, texture sharpening, 3D texture, projected texture and Detail Texture enhancement are all functions available on the baseline system.

Frame Rate control

RealityEngine leverages its inherent real-time and multiprocessor CPU technology to provide fixed frame rate performance. This is achieved through a simulation specific software layer, IRIS Performer, which can be utilized to implement real-time database processing. Integrated by the application developer, IRIS Performer provides deterministic performance, flexibility and real-time control of the simulation environment.

Tuned Performance

RealityEngine meets the high polygon throughput and pixel fill rates required of a dedicated image generator. Anti-aliasing, high quality texture mapping and weather effects are all implemented without affecting performance. The bus and pipeline structure are designed to provide maximum elasticity and throughput, ensuring the system runs at optimal performance under widely varying database loads.

Development Environment

IRIS Performer not only provides scene management functions but also a development environment focused for visual simulation applications providing the following functions:

• Database traversal, culling and rendering functions

• Special effects management e.g. weather effects, light points, animation sequences

• A rapid prototyping environment for building simulation systems

• Database query functions e.g. collision detection, height above terrain, line of sight and distance ranging

• Real-time multiprocessing

• Load management

  
  

RealityEngine can be configured to suit the target application. Available in three chassis configurations: deskside, dual pipeline SkyWriter rack and 8 CPU rack, the system can be tuned to focus on size, graphics or compute requirements. The system has extensive multi-channel capability, supporting up to 12 low resolution channels, or 4 high resolution channels at 1280x1024 resolution, from a single system. Alternatively the system can be configured with up to 8 40Mhz RISC multiprocessor CPUs providing real-time host capability in the same chassis as the image generation. RealityEngine systems provide true Host Integrated Computer Image Generation (HI-CIG) capability.

For more information please call

U.S. 1 800 800 SGI 1 (7441)
U.K. 0 800 440 440
Australia 008 802 677

Corporate Office

2011 N. Shoreline Boulevard
Mountain View, CA 94043

Copyright 1992 Silicon graphics. Inc. All rights reserved. Silicon Graphics, the Silicon Graphics logo, and IRIS are registered trademarks of Silicon Graphics, Inc. RealityEngine, SkyWriter and IRIS Performer are trademarks of Silicon Graphics, Inc. Specifications are subject to change without notice. Cover image courtesy of Paradigm Simulation.