Nvidia has introduced an advanced cloud-based server that streams interactive, photorealistic 3D applications to any web connected device.
According to Nvidia’s Dan Vivoli, RealityServer will enable developers to create a “new generation” of consumer and enterprise 3D web apps with “remarkable” levels of photorealism.
“This is one giant leap closer to the goal of real-time photorealistic visual computing for the masses,” said Vivoli. “[Nvidia subsidiary] Mental Images fully embraced the concept of GPU co-processing to enable interactive photorealism anywhere, any time – something that was science fiction just yesterday.”
Vivoli noted that RealityServer will allow online shoppers to design home interiors, rearrange furniture and view the “drape” of fabrics – all with perfectly accurate lighting.
In addition, architects and their clients can use the cloud-based server to review sophisticated models rendered in different settings, including a sunny day or gloomy evening.
“People have wanted richer fidelity for a long time, but are often constrained by local machines,” stated Vivoli. “That is why RealityServer represents a major technological revolution – you can now use powerful, cloud-based servers over the Internet to interact with and design complex 3D worlds.”
Vivoli added that the Nvidia’s cloud-based server was built around three enabling technologies: iRay, Tesla (GPU) and the Reality platform.
“RealityServer software utilizes iRay technology, which was developed by Mental Images,” explained Vivoli. “iRay is a physically correct ray-tracing renderer that employs CUDA architecture and Nvidia GPUs to accurately simulate the physics of light in its interaction with matter.”
RealityServer will be available November 30, 2009. Tesla RS configurations are expected to start at eight GPUs and scale to support increasing numbers of simultaneous users.
RealityServer also supports:
- Collaborative mode
- Mixed OpenGL ray-traced rendering
- Video streaming compression
- Full MetaSL
- Standard CAD/DCC formats
- Multi OS clusters
