This book provides a fundamental understanding of global illumination algorithms. It discusses a broad class of algorithms for realistic image synthesis and introduces a theoretical basis for the algorithms presented. Topics include: physics of light transport, Monte Carlo methods, general strategies for solving the rendering equation, stochastic path-tracing algorithms such as ray tracing and light tracing, stochastic radiosity including photon density estimation and hierarchical Monte Carlo radiosity, hybrid algorithms, metropolis light transport, irradiance caching, photon mapping and instant radiosity, beyond the rendering equation, image display and human perception. If you want to design and implement a global illumination rendering system or need to use and modify an existing system for your specific purpose, this book will give you the tools and the understanding to do so.

Designed for courses in World History and World Civilization, this best-selling, classic exploration of world history takes an interdisciplinary global (rather than a regional or national) approach–tracing those major forces, movements, and events that have had a world-wide impact. It stresses connections between the past, present and future, emphasizing the question “What does it mean for us today?” The Seventh Edition reevaluates the course of human history with an eye toward the millennium, reflecting in its coverage the end of the cold war and the dawning possibilities for a new type of global history. This best-selling, classic exploration of world history takes an interdisciplinary global (rather than a regional or national) approach -- tracing those major forces, movements, and events that had a world-wide impact. It stresses connections between the past, present and future and poses the question "What does it mean for us today?" --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.