Real-Time Ray Tracer for Visualizing Massive Models on a Cluster

We present a state of the art read-only distributed shared memory (DSM) ray tracer capable of fully utilizing modern cluster hardware to render massive out-of-core polygonal models at real-time frame rates. Achieving this required adapting a state of the art packetized BVH acceleration structure for use with DSM and modifying the mesh and BVH data layouts to minimize communication costs. Furthermore, several design decisions and optimizations were made to take advantage of InfiniBand interconnects and multi-core machines.

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2011
• Where: EGPGV
• Authors: Thiago Ize, Carson Brownlee, Charles D. Hansen
• Keywords: Cluster Hardware, Core Machines, Design Decisions, EGPGV 2011, Visualization