Difference between revisions of "ESA Summer of Code in Space/Project Ideas"

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The list of possible projects below should serve as a good starting point for new developers that would like to get involved in working on BRL-CAD. The ideas below range from the very hard and math intense to the very easy, see the link to each for more details.  You are also welcome to scale the scope of the project up or down as needed as the ideas suggested below ''are merely starting points''.
+
If you want to work on '''computer-aided design (CAD), geometry, simulation, analysis, or graphics''', you've come to the right place!  Help us improve open source CAx.
  
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{|align="right"
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{|align="center" width="62%"
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  |[[Image:BRL-CAD_Priorities.png|thumb|left|256px|BRL-CAD Priorities]]
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  |align="center" |[http://brlcad.org/w/index.php?title=Google_Summer_of_Code/Project_Ideas#BRL-CAD_Projects http://brlcad.org/images/logo/cutout_sticker_256.png]
 +
|colspan=2 align="center" |Under development for 30+ years, it's big, it's complicated, it's powerful.  BRL-CAD will consider just about any project that relates to computer graphics or existing infrastructure.
 
  |}
 
  |}
  
−
Be sure to read up on our [[Summer_of_Code/Application_Guidelines|application process]] for getting started with your proposal submission if you have not done so already including our [[Summer_of_Code/Checklist|checklist]].  See the diagram at the bottom of this page for an overview of our major project focus areas.
+
We consider proposals for all skill levels  ranging from simple to crazy hard and everything in between.  [https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/brlcad-devel Introduce yourself], and we'll help you plan one right for you.
  
−
= Project Categories =
+
Remember that project descriptions are just ''initial ideas''.  You must expand with [[Summer_of_Code/Application_Guidelines|considerably more detail]].  Change the goals to fit your experience and interests.  See our '''[[Summer_of_Code/Checklist|checklist]]''' to get started.
  
−
== High-priority Space Projects ==
+
'''Project titles link to a page with more details.'''
  
−
BRL-CAD has been used to visualize Hubble up in orbit (before it was launched), simulate light transport (multispectral analyses), model Earth's interior layers (education), and much more but there is lots of work that would really help make BRL-CAD more readily used for space work.  Given the mission of SOCIS, these are all naturally high-priority.
+
= BRL-CAD Projects =
  
−
{| border=1 bgcolor=#444444
+
== High Priority Topics ==
−
!Idea
+
 
−
!Languages
+
{| bgcolor=#fff width=100%
−
!Impact
+
!
−
!Difficulty
+
!align=center|Languages
 +
!align=center|Difficulty
 +
|-
 +
|align=left width=62%|'''[[Convert MGED from Tk to Qt]]:'''  Transition BRL-CAD's graphical applications from the Tk toolkit to the Qt toolkit. 
 +
|align=center|C/C++/Tcl/Qt
 +
|align=center|MEDIUM
 +
|-
 +
|width=62%|'''[[Annotations]]:'''  Implement support for 2D annotations, labels that can be added to geometry.
 +
|align=center|C/C++
 +
|align=center|MEDIUM
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
 
 +
== Rendering & Scientific Analysis ==
 +
 
 +
{| bgcolor=#fff
 +
!
 +
!align=center|Languages
 +
!align=center|Difficulty
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''Astronomical units:'''  We already go "big", but accurately modeling at a galactic scale redefines that notion...
+
|width=62%|'''[[Shader Enhancements]]:'''  We have a functioning custom shader system in BRL-CAD, but there are now folks that specialize and there's lot of room for improvements.
−
|C
+
|align=center|C
−
|BIG
+
|align=center|EASY
−
|EASY
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''Bending light:'''  Think gravity wells and satellite cameras.
+
|width=62%|'''[[Material and Shader Objects]]:'''  This one is a biggie but easy.  Implement new object entities for describing shaders and material properties, use them during ray tracing.
−
|C
+
|align=center|C
−
|BIG
+
|align=center|EASY
−
|MEDIUM
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''Celestial mechanics particle system:'''  Simulate solar systems and galaxies.
+
|width=62%|'''[[GUI Integration of Analysis Tools]]:'''  There are a ''lot'' of visualization tools in BRL-CAD, but most aren't integrated with the GUI.  Visualizing directly within the GUI would improve usability.
−
|C/C++
+
|align=center|C
−
|BIG
+
|align=center|MEDIUM
−
|MEDIUM
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''Non-vacuum gravity simulator:'''  Simulate falling to earth.
+
|width=62%|'''[[Generalized abstracted spacial partitioning capability]]:''' Need more be said? If you're familiar with BSPs, KD trees, and grid structures, then this one is for you.
−
|C/C++
+
|align=center|C
−
|BIG
+
|align=center|HARD
−
|MEDIUM
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''Polarization:'''  We already do multispectral ray tracing, but don't simulate polarization effects.  Implement ray splitting and filtering.
+
|width=62%|'''[[High Dynamic Range Support]]:'''  We don't have displays supporting this yet, but that's never stopped us before.  Implement support for images with more than 8-bits per channel.
−
|C
+
|align=center|C and/or C++
−
|BIG
+
|align=center|EASY
−
|HARD
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''Density functions:'''  Accurately represent everything from atmosphere to bone.  Implement support for parametric density functions for homogenous materials.
+
|width=62%|'''[[Analysis Library]]:'''  There are various tools in BRL-CAD for calculating weights, moments of inertia, and more.  They're stand-alone applications.  Turn them into a library.
−
|C
+
|align=center|C
−
|BIG
+
|align=center|HARD
−
|HARD
+
|-
−
|}
+
|width=62%|'''[[Celestial mechanics particle system]]:'''  Simulate solar systems and galaxies.
−
 
+
|align=center|C/C++
−
 
+
|align=center|MEDIUM
−
== Rendering & Analysis Projects ==
+
|-
−
 
+
|width=62%|'''[[Non-vacuum gravity simulator]]:'''  Simulate falling to earth.
−
Raytracing is at the heart of all that is BRL-CAD.  The 'rt' application was the world's first distributed parallel ray tracer, implemented in early 80's, and it's backed by our powerful LIBRT library.  We're the best as full path shotlines (shooting all the way through geometry, not just first hit) and can handle crazy big geometry very efficiently, very fast. It's how we perform geometric analysis, generate images, perform simulations, and more.
+
|align=center|C/C++
−
 
+
|align=center|MEDIUM
−
{| border=1 bgcolor=#444444
 
−
!Idea
 
−
!Languages
 
−
!Impact
 
−
!Difficulty
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[Material and Shader Objects]]:'''  This one is a biggie but easy.  Implement new object entities for describing shaders and material properties, use them during ray tracing.
+
|width=62%|'''[[Polarization]]:'''  We already do multispectral ray tracing, but don't simulate polarization effects.  Implement ray splitting and filtering.
−
|C
+
|align=center|C
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|HARD
−
|EASY
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[High Dynamic Range Support]]:'''  We don't have displays supporting this yet, but that's never stopped us before.  Implement support for images with more than 8-bits per channel.
+
|width=62%|'''[[Density functions]]:'''  Accurately represent everything from atmosphere to bone.  Implement support for parametric density functions for homogenous materials.
−
|C and/or C++
+
|align=center|C
−
|BIG
+
|align=center|HARD
−
|EASY
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[Vector output from raytracing]]:'''  Huge impact here if you can update one or more of our raytracers to provide vector output instead of raster.  Perhaps render directly to PDF or SVG.
+
|width=62%|'''[[Bending light]]:'''  Think gravity wells and satellite cameras.
−
|C and/or C++
+
|align=center|C
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|MEDIUM
−
|EASY
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[Analysis Library]]:'''  There are various tools in BRL-CAD for calculating weights, moments of inertia, and more.  They're stand-alone applications.  Turn them into a library.
+
|width=62%|'''[[Appleseed renderer integration]]:'''  Appleseed is rendering infrastructure used by the film industry to make pretty pictures.  Make it shoot rays at our native geometry with our ray trace library.
−
|C
+
|align=center|C
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|MEDIUM
−
|HARD
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
  
−
== Web Development Projects ==
+
== Web Development ==
  
−
We're generally less interested in web development projects because the developer rarely sticks around after development is over.  We're not interested in web code, we're interested in people.  If you're willing to work on your project long after this summer is over (i.e., joining the project) and are willing to make a long-term commitment to BRL-CAD, then we welcome your web development project idea.
+
{| bgcolor=#fff
−
 
+
!
−
{| border=1 bgcolor=#444444
+
!align=center|Languages
−
!Idea
+
!align=center|Difficulty
−
!Languages
 
−
!Impact
 
−
!Difficulty
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[Materials Database]]:'''  Create a Materials Database web site for collecting, managing, and providing programmatic interfaces to material properties.
+
|width=62%|'''[[Benchmark Performance Database]]:'''  BRL-CAD's Benchmark has been used for two decades to compare performance  across configurations.  Build a database website.  
−
|Depends
+
|Depends (likely PHP or Python)
−
|BIG
+
|align=center|EASY
−
|MEDIUM
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[Benchmark Performance Database]]:'''  BRL-CAD's Benchmark has been used for two decades to compare performance  across configurations.  Build a database website.  
+
|width=62%|'''[[Materials Database]]:'''  Create a Materials Database web site for collecting, managing, and providing programmatic interfaces to material properties.
−
|Depends
+
|Depends (likely PHP or Python)
−
|BIG
+
|align=center|MEDIUM
−
|MEDIUM
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
  
−
== Geometry Conversion Projects ==
+
== Geometry ==
  
−
When it comes to geometry conversion, STEP and IGES are the priority.  STEP is an absurdly complicated format, but we're one of the first open source projects to implement a working importer.  IGES is a much older standard, but more time-tested too.  Both have a variety of potential high-priority projects associated with the.
+
{| bgcolor=#fff width=100%
−
 
+
!
−
{| border=1 bgcolor=#444444
+
!align=center|Languages
−
!Idea
+
!align=center|Difficulty
−
!Languages
+
|-
−
!Impact
+
|align=left width=62%|'''[[NURBS Editing Support]]:'''  BRL-CAD doesn't currently have support for editing NURBS primitives.  Fix that.
−
!Difficulty
+
|align=center|C/Tcl
 +
|align=center|MEDIUM
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[STEP Libraries]]:''' We took over the NIST STEP Class Library (SCL) project during our development of our g-step exporter.  It needs a lot of cleanup.
+
|width=62%|'''[[Overlap tool]]:''' Resolving geometric interferences (aka overlaps) is a common geometry editing activity.  Design an awesome GUI for resolving conflicts.
−
|C/C++
+
|align=center|Tcl
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|EASY
−
|EASY
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[STEP exporter]]:'''  We have an importer, we need a comprehensive exporter with support for implicit CSG, NURBS, or polygonal mesh geometry.
+
|align=left width=62%|'''[[Vector Drawings from NURBS]]:'''  Huge impact here if you can update one or more of our raytracers to provide vector output instead of raster.  Perhaps render directly to PDF or SVG.
−
|C/C++
+
|align=center|C and/or C++
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|EASY
−
|EASY
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[STEP importer improvements]]:'''  We have an importer, but it's preliminary.  Add support for importing hierarchy information, polygonal geometry, and implicit geometry.
+
|align=left width=62%|'''[[Plate Mode NURBS raytracing]]:'''  Imported NURBS geometry often does NOT enclose space (i.e., not solid), so add support for specifying an implicit thickness.
−
|C/C++
+
|align=center|C/C++
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|HARD
−
|MEDIUM
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[IGES import improvements]]:'''  We have extensive support for the International Geometry Exchange Standard (IGES) with our g-iges and iges-g converters, but they need updating.
+
|width=62%|'''[[STEP exporter]]:'''  We have an importer, we need a comprehensive exporter with support for implicit CSG, NURBS, or polygonal mesh geometry.
−
|C
+
|align=center|C/C++
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|EASY
−
|MEDIUM
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[Geometry Conversion Library]]:'''  Probably our biggest open source asset is our extensive collection of importers and exporters.  Turn them all into a universal conversion library.  
+
|width=62%|'''[[STEP importer improvements]]:'''  We have an importer, but it's preliminary.  Add support for importing hierarchy information, polygonal geometry, and implicit geometry.
−
|C/C++
+
|align=center|C/C++
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|MEDIUM
−
|EASY
+
|-
 +
|width=62%|'''[[STEP AP 242 Parser]]:'''  We already parse a subset of AP203, but the new kid on the block is AP242.  Make AP242 work with BRL-CAD's step-g importer.
 +
|align=center|C++
 +
|align=center|HARD
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[Voxelize]] command:'''  Convert geometry into voxel data sets by shooting a grid of rays.  The finite element analysis and volumetric rendering folks will love you.
+
|width=62%|'''[[IGES import improvements]]:'''  We have extensive support for the International Geometry Exchange Standard (IGES) with our g-iges and iges-g converters, but they need updating.
−
|C
+
|align=center|C
−
|BIG
+
|align=center|MEDIUM
−
|EASY
 
−
|}
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
== Geometry Processing Projects ==
 
−
 
 
−
As part of our new GUI development efforts, a lot of code had to be moved out of application space into a library.  That library is our geometry editing library, LIBGED.  A lot of time, attention, and emphasis is going on there to make sure that all of our core functionality is reusable by applications.  More than 100k lines of code have already moved, but there's still a lot more work needed.
 
−
 
 
−
{| border=1 bgcolor=#444444
 
−
!Idea
 
−
!Languages
 
−
!Impact
 
−
!Difficulty
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[GED Transactions]]:''' Migrating functionality from our MGED geometry editor into our LIBGED library provided excellent code reuse, but now we need transactions so that actions can be undone.
+
|width=62%|'''[[Geometry Conversion Library]]:''' Probably our biggest open source asset is our extensive collection of importers and exporters.  Turn them all into a universal conversion library.  
−
|C
+
|align=center|C/C++
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|EASY
−
|EASY
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[Geometric Constraint Solver]]:'''  Our LIBPC parametric constraint library is the work-in-progress foundation of being able to validate and describe geometry relationships.
+
|width=62%|'''[[Voxelize]] command:'''  Convert geometry into voxel data sets by shooting a grid of rays.  The finite element analysis and volumetric rendering folks will love you.
−
|C/C++
+
|align=center|C
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|EASY
−
|HARD
 
−
|}
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
== NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines) Projects==
 
−
 
 
−
BRL-CAD has recently implemented raytracing support for NURBS-based boundary representation geometry.  It's one of our '''''hot-topic priority focus areas''''' with ''high'' impact and ''high'' visibility.  They are also pretty hard so be careful to have sufficient familiarity and lots of milestones.
 
−
 
 
−
{| border=1 bgcolor=#444444
 
−
!Idea
 
−
!Languages
 
−
!Impact
 
−
!Difficulty
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[NURBS Intersections]]:'''  Evaluate the intersection of two NURBS surfaces.  You'll get a 3D curve or a point, line segment, or even a plane depending how the surfaces overlap.
+
|width=62%|'''[[COLLADA Importer]]:'''  Create an importer for the COLLADA file format.
−
|C/C++
+
|align=center|C/C++
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|MEDIUM
−
|HARD
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[NURBS Tessellation]]:''' Given a NURBS object (i.e., a collection of NURBS surfaces that enclose space), evaluate a polygonal mesh. It has to be fast.
+
|width=62%|'''[[X3D Importer]]:'''  Create an importer for the X3D file format.
−
|C/C++
+
|align=center|C/C++
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|MEDIUM
−
|MEDIUM
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[Implicit to NURBS conversion]]:'''  We implement lots of primitives like sphere and torus defined with implicit parameters.  Given one of our implicit primitives, describe it using NURBS surfaces.
+
|width=62%|'''[[OpenSCAD Importer]]:'''  Create an importer for OpenSCAD's format.
−
|C/C++
+
|align=center|C/C++
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|EASY
−
|MEDIUM
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[Plate Mode NURBS raytracing]]:'''  Imported NURBS geometry often does NOT enclose space (i.e., not solid), so add support for specifying an implicit thickness.
+
|width=62%|'''[[OpenSCAD Exporter]]:'''  Create an exporter for OpenSCAD's format.
−
|C/C++
+
|align=center|C/C++
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|EASY
−
|HARD
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
  
−
== Graphical User Interface (GUI) Projects ==
+
== Performance & Quality ==
  
−
The primary environment in which users interact with BRL-CAD geometry is the MGED geometry editor.  The "next generation" interface for MGED, dubbed ''Archer'', has been under development for some time but there is a lot of  functionality that still needs to be migrated and new features needed by MGED, Archer, or both.
+
{| bgcolor=#fff
−
 
+
!
−
{| border=1 bgcolor=#444444
+
!align=center|Languages
−
!Idea
+
!align=center|Difficulty
−
!Languages
 
−
!Impact
 
−
!Difficulty
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[New Cross-Platform 3D Display Manager]]:''' BRL-CAD uses '''''display managers''''' for visualizing 3D geometry in a window.  We want one that uses a cross-platform toolkit such as Qt or OGRE.
+
|align=left width=62%|'''[[OpenCL GPGPU Raytracing]]:''' We have about two dozen primitives that need to have a ray-object intersection function converted from C to OpenCL.
−
|C/C++
+
|align=center|C/C++
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|MEDIUM
−
|MEDIUM
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[New Cross-Platform 2D Framebuffer]]:'''  BRL-CAD uses '''''framebuffers''''' to display 2D imagery.  The merits of having a single interface for most platforms is self-evident.
+
|align=left width=62%|'''[[Coherent Raytracing]]:''' Our current raytrace pipeline dispatches and processes one ray at a time. Send bundles and convert the pipeline into phases.  
−
|C/C++
+
|align=center|C/C++
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|MEDIUM
−
|EASY
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[GUI Integration of Analysis Tools]]:'''  There are a ''lot'' of visualization tools in BRL-CAD, but most aren't integrated with the GUI.  Visualizing directly within the GUI would improve usability.
+
|align=left width=62%|'''[[NURBS Booleans]]:'''  We have NURBS surface-surface intersections working.  Now we're using them to create evaluated forms of our CSG geometry.  Make it more robust and faster.
−
|C
+
|align=center|C/C++
−
|BIG
+
|align=center|HARD
−
|MEDIUM
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[Level of Detail Wireframes]]:''' Geometry is drawn with fixed wireframe detail which can screw performance and make shape recognition difficult.  Detail needs to adjust based on view size.
+
|align=left width=62%|'''[[NURBS Optimization and Cleanup]]:''' We have a fantastic implementation of NURBS evaluation but haven't gone back to clean up or speed it up.  Make it pretty and fast.
−
|C
+
|align=center|C/C++
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|MEDIUM
−
|EASY
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
  
−
== Code Refactoring Projects ==
+
== Infrastructure ==
  
−
BRL-CAD has more than a million lines of code so we have to continually refactor and clean up code for maintainability.  Cruft happens.  These projects help reduce the complexity and make things better. They're not very hard at all, but exceedingly valuable to our project vitality.  
+
{| bgcolor=#fff
−
 
+
!
−
{| border=1 bgcolor=#444444
+
!align=center|Languages
−
!Idea
+
!align=center|Difficulty
−
!Languages
+
|-
−
!Impact
+
|width=62%|'''[[Geometric Constraint Solver]]:'''  Our LIBPC parametric constraint library is the work-in-progress foundation of being able to validate and describe geometry relationships.
−
!Difficulty
+
|align=center|C/C++
 +
|align=center|HARD
 +
|-
 +
|width=62%|'''[[Consolidate image processing]]:''' We have 100+ image processing tools that independently read and write file data.  Needs much reuse love.
 +
|align=center|C
 +
|align=center|EASY
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[Code Reduction]]:'''  BRL-CAD is more than 1M lines of code. Approximately 10% of that is duplication. Help reduce that percentage.
+
|width=62%|'''[[Astronomical units]]:'''  We already go "big", but accurately modeling at a galactic scale redefines that notion...
−
|C
+
|align=center|C
−
|BIG
+
|align=center|EASY
−
|EASY
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[Consolidate image processing]]:'''  We have 100+ image processing tools that independently read and write file data.  Needs much reuse love.
+
|width=62%|'''[[Point Clouds]]:'''  BRL-CAD has a basic point cloud primitive.  Beef it up, make it faster, maybe integrate with the Point Cloud Library (PCL) for evaluation.
−
|C
+
|align=center|C/C++
−
|HUGE
+
|align=center|MEDIUM
−
|EASY
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''[[Fix Bugs]]:'''  We take pride in our breadth of functionality and time-tested stability.  We still have bugs. Identify some and fix 'em!
+
|width=62%|'''[[Annotations]]:'''  Implement support for 2D annotations, labels that can be added to geometry.
−
|C
+
|align=center|Perl
−
|DEPENDS
+
|align=center|EASY
−
|EASY
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
  
−
== <AN IDEA OF YOUR OWN> ==
+
== <An Idea of Your Own> ==
  
−
Do you have an idea of your own? [[Mailing Lists|Let us know]] and maybe we'll like it too. We're very open to new ideas, areas of academic research, industry applications, and any other ways that may help get you hooked on BRL-CAD development.  Just remember that BRL-CAD is a solid modeling CAD suite so keep that in mind when scoping your project.  
+
Do you have an idea of your own? Maybe you need [http://brlcad.org/~sean/ideas.html more ideas] to inspire you? We're very open to areas of academic research, industry applications, and ideas that get you hooked on open source CAD development.
  
 
Requirements:
 
Requirements:
  
−
*Passion for the task being suggested
+
* Passion for the task being suggested
−
*Buy-in from one of the existing developers
 
  
  
 
= Mentors =
 
= Mentors =
  
−
BRL-CAD operates under group mentorship.  That means you can contact anyone, not just the person assigned to you, for assistance.  The mailing list and IRC channel are the preferred communication methods.
+
Contact Sean on the brlcad-devel mailing list or via IRC to begin discussing your SOCIS project proposal:
  
 
* Christopher Sean Morrison
 
* Christopher Sean Morrison
 
** brlcad on irc.freenode.net
 
** brlcad on irc.freenode.net
−
** Org admin, core dev, open source project lead
 
−
 
−
* Erik Greenwald
 
−
** ``Erik on irc.freenode.net
 
−
** Org admin, core dev
 
−
 
−
* Cliff Yapp
 
−
** starseeker on irc.freenode.net
 
−
** Mentor, core dev
 
−
 
−
* Daniel Rossberg
 
−
** d_rossberg on irc.freenode.net
 
−
** Mentor, core dev, math expert
 
−
 
−
* Dave Loman
 
−
** dloman on irc.freenode.net
 
−
** Mentor, expert modeler
 
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* Ed Davisson
 
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** brlcad-devel mailing list
 
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** Part-time mentor, Math guru extraordinaire
 
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* Keith Bowman
 
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** brlcad-devel mailing list
 
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** Part-time mentor, core dev, NURBS guru
 
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* Tom Browder
 
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** brlcad-devel maling list
 
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** Part-time mentor, analysis, code support
 
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* Richard Weiss
 
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** brlcad-devel mailing list
 
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** Part-time mentor, NMG info, code support
 

Latest revision as of 23:05, 3 May 2017

If you want to work on computer-aided design (CAD), geometry, simulation, analysis, or graphics, you've come to the right place! Help us improve open source CAx.

cutout_sticker_256.png Under development for 30+ years, it's big, it's complicated, it's powerful. BRL-CAD will consider just about any project that relates to computer graphics or existing infrastructure.

We consider proposals for all skill levels ranging from simple to crazy hard and everything in between. Introduce yourself, and we'll help you plan one right for you.

Remember that project descriptions are just initial ideas. You must expand with considerably more detail. Change the goals to fit your experience and interests. See our checklist to get started.

Project titles link to a page with more details.

BRL-CAD Projects[edit]

High Priority Topics[edit]

Languages Difficulty
Convert MGED from Tk to Qt: Transition BRL-CAD's graphical applications from the Tk toolkit to the Qt toolkit. C/C++/Tcl/Qt MEDIUM
Annotations: Implement support for 2D annotations, labels that can be added to geometry. C/C++ MEDIUM


Rendering & Scientific Analysis[edit]

Languages Difficulty
Shader Enhancements: We have a functioning custom shader system in BRL-CAD, but there are now folks that specialize and there's lot of room for improvements. C EASY
Material and Shader Objects: This one is a biggie but easy. Implement new object entities for describing shaders and material properties, use them during ray tracing. C EASY
GUI Integration of Analysis Tools: There are a lot of visualization tools in BRL-CAD, but most aren't integrated with the GUI. Visualizing directly within the GUI would improve usability. C MEDIUM
Generalized abstracted spacial partitioning capability: Need more be said? If you're familiar with BSPs, KD trees, and grid structures, then this one is for you. C HARD
High Dynamic Range Support: We don't have displays supporting this yet, but that's never stopped us before. Implement support for images with more than 8-bits per channel. C and/or C++ EASY
Analysis Library: There are various tools in BRL-CAD for calculating weights, moments of inertia, and more. They're stand-alone applications. Turn them into a library. C HARD
Celestial mechanics particle system: Simulate solar systems and galaxies. C/C++ MEDIUM
Non-vacuum gravity simulator: Simulate falling to earth. C/C++ MEDIUM
Polarization: We already do multispectral ray tracing, but don't simulate polarization effects. Implement ray splitting and filtering. C HARD
Density functions: Accurately represent everything from atmosphere to bone. Implement support for parametric density functions for homogenous materials. C HARD
Bending light: Think gravity wells and satellite cameras. C MEDIUM
Appleseed renderer integration: Appleseed is rendering infrastructure used by the film industry to make pretty pictures. Make it shoot rays at our native geometry with our ray trace library. C MEDIUM


Web Development[edit]

Languages Difficulty
Benchmark Performance Database: BRL-CAD's Benchmark has been used for two decades to compare performance across configurations. Build a database website. Depends (likely PHP or Python) EASY
Materials Database: Create a Materials Database web site for collecting, managing, and providing programmatic interfaces to material properties. Depends (likely PHP or Python) MEDIUM


Geometry[edit]

Languages Difficulty
NURBS Editing Support: BRL-CAD doesn't currently have support for editing NURBS primitives. Fix that. C/Tcl MEDIUM
Overlap tool: Resolving geometric interferences (aka overlaps) is a common geometry editing activity. Design an awesome GUI for resolving conflicts. Tcl EASY
Vector Drawings from NURBS: Huge impact here if you can update one or more of our raytracers to provide vector output instead of raster. Perhaps render directly to PDF or SVG. C and/or C++ EASY
Plate Mode NURBS raytracing: Imported NURBS geometry often does NOT enclose space (i.e., not solid), so add support for specifying an implicit thickness. C/C++ HARD
STEP exporter: We have an importer, we need a comprehensive exporter with support for implicit CSG, NURBS, or polygonal mesh geometry. C/C++ EASY
STEP importer improvements: We have an importer, but it's preliminary. Add support for importing hierarchy information, polygonal geometry, and implicit geometry. C/C++ MEDIUM
STEP AP 242 Parser: We already parse a subset of AP203, but the new kid on the block is AP242. Make AP242 work with BRL-CAD's step-g importer. C++ HARD
IGES import improvements: We have extensive support for the International Geometry Exchange Standard (IGES) with our g-iges and iges-g converters, but they need updating. C MEDIUM
Geometry Conversion Library: Probably our biggest open source asset is our extensive collection of importers and exporters. Turn them all into a universal conversion library. C/C++ EASY
Voxelize command: Convert geometry into voxel data sets by shooting a grid of rays. The finite element analysis and volumetric rendering folks will love you. C EASY
COLLADA Importer: Create an importer for the COLLADA file format. C/C++ MEDIUM
X3D Importer: Create an importer for the X3D file format. C/C++ MEDIUM
OpenSCAD Importer: Create an importer for OpenSCAD's format. C/C++ EASY
OpenSCAD Exporter: Create an exporter for OpenSCAD's format. C/C++ EASY


Performance & Quality[edit]

Languages Difficulty
OpenCL GPGPU Raytracing: We have about two dozen primitives that need to have a ray-object intersection function converted from C to OpenCL. C/C++ MEDIUM
Coherent Raytracing: Our current raytrace pipeline dispatches and processes one ray at a time. Send bundles and convert the pipeline into phases. C/C++ MEDIUM
NURBS Booleans: We have NURBS surface-surface intersections working. Now we're using them to create evaluated forms of our CSG geometry. Make it more robust and faster. C/C++ HARD
NURBS Optimization and Cleanup: We have a fantastic implementation of NURBS evaluation but haven't gone back to clean up or speed it up. Make it pretty and fast. C/C++ MEDIUM


Infrastructure[edit]

Languages Difficulty
Geometric Constraint Solver: Our LIBPC parametric constraint library is the work-in-progress foundation of being able to validate and describe geometry relationships. C/C++ HARD
Consolidate image processing: We have 100+ image processing tools that independently read and write file data. Needs much reuse love. C EASY
Astronomical units: We already go "big", but accurately modeling at a galactic scale redefines that notion... C EASY
Point Clouds: BRL-CAD has a basic point cloud primitive. Beef it up, make it faster, maybe integrate with the Point Cloud Library (PCL) for evaluation. C/C++ MEDIUM
Annotations: Implement support for 2D annotations, labels that can be added to geometry. Perl EASY


<An Idea of Your Own>[edit]

Do you have an idea of your own? Maybe you need more ideas to inspire you? We're very open to areas of academic research, industry applications, and ideas that get you hooked on open source CAD development.

Requirements:

  • Passion for the task being suggested


Mentors[edit]

Contact Sean on the brlcad-devel mailing list or via IRC to begin discussing your SOCIS project proposal:

  • Christopher Sean Morrison
    • brlcad on irc.freenode.net
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