Transparency Modeling for Mesh Object Using Ray Tracing

Rendering is a visualization process captures a 3D environment into 2D image. One of various rendering methods is ray tracing. Ray tracing can produce a photorealistic image because it involves several calculations, lighting effects and optic effects. Lighting effects will calculate ambient, diffuse and specular. Optic effects will be gotten from calculation of mirror effect and transparency. To simulate transparency, we need to consider the material, in this case will represent by its refractive index. To calculate an accurate refraction ray, first the transparent object will be assumed as a solid object. So, the ray will travel inside the object before refract outside the object. Finally, every non-transparent object will keep the ray fall on its surface into an energy map. Some experiments had done to verify if the caustic effect visualized correctly. The other experiments are conducted to test the influent of refractive index, number of casted ray, light energy and map size toward the caustic's appearance. The more number of casted ray, higher light energy and bigger map size will produce brighter and wider caustic effect. The object's shape will affect where rays refracted. Round shape will gather the refracted ray into a small dense area.