Marc Levoy
Encyclopedia
Marc Levoy is a computer graphics
researcher and Professor of Computer Science
and Electrical Engineering
at Stanford University
. He is noted for pioneering work in volume rendering
.
Levoy first studied computer graphics as an architecture
student under Donald P. Greenberg
at Cornell University
. He received his B.Arch. in 1976 and M.S. in Architecture in 1978. He developed a 2D computer animation
system as part of his studies, receiving the Charles Goodwin Sands Memorial Medal for this work. Greenberg and he suggested to Disney
that they use computer graphics in producing animated films, but the idea was rejected by several of the Nine Old Men
who were still active. Following this, they were able to convince Hanna-Barbera Productions to use their system for television animation. Despite initial opposition by animators, the system was successful in reducing labor costs and helping to save the company, and was used until 1996. Levoy worked as director of the Hanna-Barbera Animation Laboratory from 1980 to 1983.
He then did graduate study in computer science under Henry Fuchs
at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
, and received his Ph.D. in 1989. While there, he published several important papers in the field of volume rendering, developing new algorithms (such as volume ray tracing), improving efficiency, and demonstrating applications of the technique.
He joined the faculty of Stanford's Computer Science Department in 1990. In 1991, he received the National Science Foundation
's Presidential Young Investigator Award. In 1994, he co-created the Stanford Bunny
, which has become one of the standard icons of computer graphics. In 1996, he and Pat Hanrahan
coauthored the paper, "Light Field Rendering," which forms the basis behind many image-based rendering techniques in modern-day computer graphics. In the 2000s, his lab has worked on applications of light field rendering, with graduate students of Levoy's, such as Ren Ng
, developing technologies such as a light-field camera and light-field microscope.
For his pioneering work in volume rendering, Levoy was the recipient of the ACM SIGGRAPH
Computer Graphics Achievement Award in 1996. In 2007 he was inducted as a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery
.
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
researcher and Professor of Computer Science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
and Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. He is noted for pioneering work in volume rendering
Volume rendering
In scientific visualization and computer graphics, volume rendering is a set of techniques used to display a 2D projection of a 3D discretely sampled data set.A typical 3D data set is a group of 2D slice images acquired by aCT, MRI, or MicroCT scanner....
.
Levoy first studied computer graphics as an architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
student under Donald P. Greenberg
Donald P. Greenberg
Donald Peter Greenberg is the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor of Computer Graphics at Cornell University.Greenberg earned his undergraduate and Ph.D. degrees from Cornell University, where he played on the tennis and soccer teams and was a member of Tau Delta Phi and the Quill and Dagger society...
at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. He received his B.Arch. in 1976 and M.S. in Architecture in 1978. He developed a 2D computer animation
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
system as part of his studies, receiving the Charles Goodwin Sands Memorial Medal for this work. Greenberg and he suggested to Disney
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Animation Studios is an American animation studio headquartered in Burbank, California. The studio, founded in 1923 as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio by brothers Walt and Roy Disney, is the oldest subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
that they use computer graphics in producing animated films, but the idea was rejected by several of the Nine Old Men
Disney's Nine Old Men
Disney's Nine Old Men were the core animators at The Walt Disney Company who created some of Disney's most famous works, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs onward to The Rescuers. Walt Disney jokingly called this group of animators his "Nine Old Men," referring to Robert S...
who were still active. Following this, they were able to convince Hanna-Barbera Productions to use their system for television animation. Despite initial opposition by animators, the system was successful in reducing labor costs and helping to save the company, and was used until 1996. Levoy worked as director of the Hanna-Barbera Animation Laboratory from 1980 to 1983.
He then did graduate study in computer science under Henry Fuchs
Henry Fuchs
Prof. Henry Fuchs is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Association for Computing Machinery and the Federico Gil Professor of Computer Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill . He is also an adjunct professor in biomedical engineering...
at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, and received his Ph.D. in 1989. While there, he published several important papers in the field of volume rendering, developing new algorithms (such as volume ray tracing), improving efficiency, and demonstrating applications of the technique.
He joined the faculty of Stanford's Computer Science Department in 1990. In 1991, he received the National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
's Presidential Young Investigator Award. In 1994, he co-created the Stanford Bunny
Stanford Bunny
The Stanford Bunny is a computer graphics 3D test model developed by Greg Turk and Marc Levoy in 1994 at Stanford University.The Bunny consists of data describing 69,451 triangles determined by 3D scanning a ceramic figurine of a rabbit. The data can be used to test various graphics algorithms;...
, which has become one of the standard icons of computer graphics. In 1996, he and Pat Hanrahan
Pat Hanrahan
Pat Hanrahan is a computer graphics researcher, the Canon USA Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering in the Computer Graphics Laboratory at Stanford University....
coauthored the paper, "Light Field Rendering," which forms the basis behind many image-based rendering techniques in modern-day computer graphics. In the 2000s, his lab has worked on applications of light field rendering, with graduate students of Levoy's, such as Ren Ng
Ren Ng
Dr. Ren Ng is the founder and the chief executive officer of a Mountain View, California-based start-up, Lytro, Inc. . The company is developing light field technology for digital cameras and has received $50 million in venture capital funding..Lytro unveiled its camera design on Oct...
, developing technologies such as a light-field camera and light-field microscope.
For his pioneering work in volume rendering, Levoy was the recipient of the ACM SIGGRAPH
ACM SIGGRAPH
ACM SIGGRAPH is the New York–based Association for Computing Machinery's Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques. It was founded in 1969 by Andy van Dam ....
Computer Graphics Achievement Award in 1996. In 2007 he was inducted as a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery
Association for Computing Machinery
The Association for Computing Machinery is a learned society for computing. It was founded in 1947 as the world's first scientific and educational computing society. Its membership is more than 92,000 as of 2009...
.
Notable publications
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External links
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