Turner Whitted is a prominent figure in the field of computer graphics, known primarily for his contributions to ray tracing techniques. Born in 1949, Whitted's work has significantly influenced the rendering technologies used in both computer graphics and visual effects industries.
Whitted studied at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Computer Science. His research during this period laid the groundwork for his later innovations in graphics rendering.
In 1980, while working at Bell Labs, Whitted published a seminal paper titled "An Improved Illumination Model for Shaded Display." This paper introduced the concept of recursive ray tracing, which was a breakthrough in rendering realistic images. The technique involved:
This method allowed for much more realistic rendering of scenes by accounting for multiple light bounces, which was a significant advancement over the then-prevailing techniques like scanline rendering.
Whitted's ray tracing algorithm became foundational for the development of subsequent rendering techniques. It:
After Bell Labs, Whitted held various positions in the industry, including:
His contributions have been recognized with several awards: