Ray Tracing 3D Source Modelling for Optical Reflectance Sensing with Wireless Ranging Application

This study delivers a powerful comparison case for six of the most common ray tracing (RT) source models. It demonstrates that in the early stages of the RT algorithm, when only the ray-geometry intersection and ray-reflectance are introduced, the ray source modelling is a pivotal event in the simulation. The six models are compared in a large three-dimensional (3D) scenario of the well-known double-slit experiment, with the comparison metrics delivered by the number of rays that intersect the back screen and the total simulation time. The numerical results for a variable number of 2,000; 10,000; 25,000 and 100,000 rays that emulate each of the six source models, are accompanied by the simulation's visual output samples to eliminate abstract ambiguities. This work's main contribution applies directly to the RT simulation for wireless ranging, since scientific programming environments such as MATLAB are extensively utilised in this research field, which provide the required modelling customisation. Moreover, for machine sensing areas involving optical ranging or light detection and ranging (LIDAR) mapping, the presented study provides valuable information about efficient modelling for ray fascicle launching. Furthermore, since RT simulations enable the latest performances in the gaming and animation industries, the basic and clear information presented in this work supports the next generation of their developers in the delivery of hardware and software implementations.