Animating Real Objects with Image-Based Illumination

We describe a new paradigm for three-dimensional computer graphics, using projectors to graphically animate physical objects in the real world. The idea is to replace a physical object—with its inherent color, texture, and material properties—with a neutral object and projected imagery, reproducing the original (or alternative) appearance directly on the object. Because the approach is to effectively “lift” the visual properties of the object into the projector, we call the projectors shader lamps. We address the central issue of complete and continuous illumination of non-trivial physical objects using multiple projectors and present a set of new techniques that makes the process of illumination practical. We demonstrate the viability of these techniques through a variety of table-top applications, and describe preliminary results to reproduce life-sized virtual spaces.