Held in Sydney, Australia from December 12-15, 2023, the 16th ACM SIGGRAPH Asia Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques has successfully ended. The annual event unfolded its magic at the International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney), beckoning the most distinguished minds in the realms of computer graphics, art, animation, gaming, interactivity, education, and emerging technologies.
As a leading cloud rendering service provider and render farm in the CG industry and a long-time partner of SIGGRAPH Asia, Fox Renderfarm is proud to be one of the program sponsors of SIGGRAPH Asia 2023.
Let's take a look at the highlights of the first day of SIGGRAPH Asia 2023!
REGISTRATION
SIGGRAPH Asia 2023 officially commenced, setting the stage for an exhilarating week of innovation and inspiration! Taking place at the iconic International Convention Centre in Sydney, Australia, thousands of attendees poured in today, creating an atmosphere charged with anticipation and the promise of an unforgettable experience.
Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques enthusiasts and experts from around the world were participating in cutting-edge discussions, as industry leaders shared their knowledge through interactive sessions that ignited the imagination. An abundance of networking opportunities are happening between sessions, creating the perfect environment to connect and collaborate.
TECHNICAL PAPERS FAST FORWARD UNVEILS PIONEERING DISCOVERIES
At the event's grand opening, attendees were treated to an enthralling 160-minute preview session that left everyone spellbound. During this remarkable rapid-fire showcase, the authors of Technical Papers astounded the audience with their masterful presentations, having brilliantly condensed the essence of their groundbreaking work into brief, one-minute showcases. The captivating session unveiled discoveries across a wide spectrum of fields, including artificial intelligence, data science, robotics, and quantum computing.
TECHNICAL PAPERS AWARDS UNVEILED!
Co-Chairs Ming Lin and Bernd Bickel acknowledged the outstanding contributions to the Technical Papers category. Unusually, the coveted Best Paper Award was bestowed to five remarkable works:
- Fluid Simulation on Neural Flow Maps
- Adaptive Shells for Efficient Neural Radiance Field Rendering
- Concept Decomposition for Visual Exploration and Inspiration
- Meshes with Spherical Faces
- Warped-Area Reparameterization of Differential Path Integrals
In addition to these outstanding papers, Honorable Mentions went to:
- Shrink & Morph: 3D-printed self-shaping shells actuated by a shape memory effect
- From Skin to Skeleton : Towards Biomechanically Accurate 3D Digital Humans
- C-shells: Deployable Gridshells with Curved Beams
- Neural Categorical Priors for Physics-Based Character Control
A brand new Test-of-Time Awards selection brought further accolades to past SIGGRAPH Asia papers from 2011–2012, with emphasis as to their enduring practical impact and scholarly influence. These went to:
- Real-Time 3D Reconstruction at Scale using Voxel Hashing
- Cost-effective printing of 3D objects with skin-frame structures
- Image Smoothing via Lo Gradient Minimization
- A Hybrid Iterative Solver for Robustly Capturing Friction in Hair Dynamic
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Metaverse x AI: Shaping the Future of Digital Realms
Ng Aik Beng, Senior Manager of APAC South at NVIDIA AI Technology Center, joined forces with Associate Professor Chek Tien Tan from the Singapore Institute of Technology, and Megani, a Solutions Architect at NVAITC APS, to deliver a transformative journey that brought participants to the intersection of the Metaverse and Artificial Intelligence (AI), which has the potential to reshape the digital landscape as we know it. Their profound insights delved into the realms of synthetic data, generative AI, and the intricate technical challenges that bind the Metaverse and AI together. With a keen focus on striking the delicate balance between the creative process and design complexities, they also examined the pivotal role of regulations and security in the seamless integration of AI within the Metaverse. Throughout their discussion, they underscored how AI enriches user experiences within the ever-evolving Metaverse, shedding light on the continuous exploration and definition of this dynamic concept.
The symposium brought together researchers, designers, and experts to discuss creativity, innovation, and to explore where the intersection of Computer Graphics and interactive technologies for positive social change may occur. During the sessions, they also discussed how design can contribute to addressing important social issues to create a more sustainable and innovative future.
COURSES: APPROACHES AND CHALLENGES IN XR AND AI FOR HEALTH APPLICATIONS
The Courses talk offered an engaging look into the exciting blend of extended reality (XR) and artificial intelligence in the field of healthcare. It showcased the transformative possibilities of these technologies and the remarkable strides already taken in this sector. From immersive VR experiences for in-depth anatomy learning to the practical applications of AR in real medical scenarios, the session demonstrated the potential for innovation. It also underlined the importance of factors like lighting in interpreting radiodiagnostic images for accuracy. The integration of virtual reality (VR) and touch was also explored, highlighting the valuable role of immersive virtual environments in radiology.
EXHIBITOR TALKS: UNLOCKING THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL ARTISTRY: AI, VR & PIXAR'S RENDERMAN UNVEILED
Dylan Sisson from Pixar Animation Studios unveiled the exciting features of RenderMan 26, giving us a sneak peek into the future of digital artistry. He emphasised how AI is transforming visual effects, using machine learning for denoising and generative AI for creative ideation. Sisson introduced his unique approach called "AIdeation," where he creates lists using ChatGPT, then uses "Unprompted" to generate prompts based on the lists, and "Controlnet" to add bias with images. The session underscored how the innovative use of AI is shaping the next phase of storytelling and design in the world of animation.
COMPUTER ANIMATION FESTIVAL OPENING & AWARDS CEREMONY
Co-Chairs of the Computer Animation Festival, Herman van Eyk and Rob Coleman, hosted the Awards Ceremony at the Opening Ceremony of the Computer Animation Festival, which takes place at the Electronic Theatre at SIGGRAPH Asia 2023.
Rob Coleman announced that Selina Ho won the Junior Computer Animation Festival Award for directing and producing Water. Keina Sugiyama received Runner-Up for The Star Keeper, and Honourable Mentions went to Mina Phan for Inspiration and Nathan Fereig for Coil Motors - Electro P200D.
Herman then introduced the Winners of the Computer Animation Festival, none of whom were present in Sydney and who instead were presented via Video. The Best in Show award was given to directors Ina Conradi and Mark Chavez and Conradi, producer, from Nanyang Technological University, School of Art, for Moirai - Thread of Life. The Jury's Special Award went to Hair Universe, directed and produced by Jinuk Choi, Kotory Studio.
Best Student Project went Thaba Ye directed by Preetam Dhar, Daria Batueva, Hannah Judd, Mogau Kekana, Merel Hamers, and Leroy Le Roux and produced by Cécile Blondel (Gobelins l'école de l’image).
Honorable Mentions were given to Quem Salva, directors Laure Devin, Maxime Bourstin, Nathan Medam, Charles Hechinger, and Titouan Jaouen and producers Philippe Meis, producer (Supinfocom Rubika), and Loup y es-tu? directors and producers Louise Laurent, Alizée Van De Valle, Emma Fessart, Jeanne Galland, Célina Lebon, with Annouck Françoise (Supinfocom Rubika).
FEATURED SESSION: BLOOD, GUTS AND FUR: THE VISUAL EFFECTS BEHIND COCAINE BEAR
The first Featured Session of SIGGRAPH Asia 2023, presented by Robin Hollander, VFX Supervisor from Wētā FX, delved into the captivating journey behind the scenes of "Cocaine Bear," directed by Elizabeth Banks. The session provided a hilarious take on the process of creating Cokey, the CGI bear at the heart of the film. With tales of fur, claws, and unexpected challenges, Hollander offered an entertaining and insightful exploration of the art and craft of visual effects in this action-packed, over-the-top thriller based on the true story of convicted drug smuggler Andrew Thornton.
Professor Ming Lin, Distinguished University Professor of Computer Science, Technical Papers Chair: "This year's SIGGRAPH Asia Technical Papers program has received the highest number of submission since its inception, practically doubling the number of submissions from last year. This increase indicates a growing trend and tremendous excitement in the current and future advances in Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques powered by the latest technological evolution in Generative AI."
Learn more about SIGGRAPH Asia 2023.
Source: SIGGRAPH Asia 2023
