Monthly Archives: September 2023

CGI Companies Can Produce Unbelievable Results

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CGI companies specialise in producing an alternate version of reality. This can take a huge number of forms, but its probably reasonable to say that, with a few exceptions, the most impressive of these are the ones where the differences are subtle but significant. Take, for example, the Shard of Glass, the iconic London skyscraper currently under construction. Artists drawings can give some kind of impression of how this 330-metre-tall glass-covered building will impact the landscape and how it will tower over its neighbours (the Shard is the 45th tallest building in the world and the second tallest in the UK, after the Emley Moor Transmitting Station in Yorkshire). However, until a few years ago there was just no way to grasp how it would really appear in its context especially not from multiple angles and vantage points.

This is one example of where CGI companies can manage the impossible. By creating a detailed 3-dimensional representation of the section of the city desired, and superimposing data from the Shards plans, it is possible to make a life-like model of the area that can be viewed and assessed from anywhere inside it. This means that the full impact of the building can be understood both in terms of its impressive height, and in terms of any problems that might need addressing before construction actually started. Such use of CGI is vastly preferable and far superior to creating individual artists renderings, which by their nature are costly, time-consuming and restrictive.

With this use of CGI, companies can create mock-ups of their products whether architectural or otherwise and see how they will look and act (within reason) before they are actually made. The software is extremely versatile and powerful, and produces replicas of the desired product that rival photographs in their quality. In fact, it is now becoming increasingly difficult to spot the difference between a photo or artists representation and a CGI model, such is the detail of the processes used.

The process begins by forming a framework of the object or space to be modelled say, a room or internal space to be designed. This is then filled with its contents furniture, fixtures, and so on to produce a simple 3D line version of the space. After that, the fun starts. This initial rendering can be customised in limitless ways, by adding colour, lighting, texture and other variables, all virtually on the computer screen. If you want, the process can be captured as an animation, showing exactly how it happens in stages from start to finish even with music and commentary, if you want. Naturally, the whole thing takes time, and a certain amount of expense, but CGI companies are going to be able to provide you with infinite possibilities for (e.g.) interior design in short order once the ground work has been carried out; otherwise, theres no real way to know how things will look other than trial and error and thats going to be far more costly and time consuming, not to mention messy. For that reason, its often faster and cheaper than doing it in the real world.

CGI companies have just come of age, and they are really only starting to penetrate the market. The next few years are going to see a profusion of the services they offer, allowing designers a powerful tool to model their products virtually in lifelike 3D, which has huge advantages from a development point of view as well as for marketing potential. The use of CGI brings a product or space alive, without having to be physically present of for the product to exist at that stage and all to a standard that is almost indistinguishable from reality.

Google Io Showcases Wearable Technologies

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It seems that wearable technology is going to be the in thing in the next few years. During the 2012 Google I/O, a major theme that was being pushed would be technology that would be wearable by the consumers.

Instead of having to bring along a separate device in bags or pant pockets, it seems that Google (and other tech companies for that matter) would want users to actually wear them as part of their outfit. Perhaps the idea behind this is that it would make the device much more embedded into the lives of its users.

Historical Use:

Industry observers mentioned that the idea is not that far-fetched. In fact, the military would already have prototypes and actual products of utilizing wearable computers. Usually, these military themed devices are used either for their communications capabilities or their GPS functionalities. However, the trend is to slowly bring these military devices into use for regular consumers.

In fact, there are now more companies who have tried to integrate their devices into more wearable designs. For example, MIT researches have long been looking at how they can manufacture wearable computers. Another example would be on how Apples iPod Nano has now made a wristband like peripheral which you could use to wear the highly capable device as a wrist watch.

Googles take:

Not one to be left behind by technology, Google also has something up their sleeve. They have previously announced the Google Glass. Google glass is a wearable device that would provide its users with a video game like heads up display while they are doing their everyday tasks.

Some analysts believe that Googles involvement in wearable technology would help push forward the acceptance of wearable devices. As of now, the use and acceptance of it is usually limited to the aforementioned military uses as well as to some of the rich and tech savvy people.

Analysts are speculating that similar to what happened with Android and smartphones, a Google role in the push for wearable technologies would also help push the number of devices that would provide this kind of function to the consumers,

Of course, people should note that despite the Google glass being highlighted in this years Google I/O, the actual thing is still in development. Many experts believe that the soonest that it would become available for commercial release would still be in 2 or 3 more years.