rayrender is an open source R package for raytracing scenes in created in R. This package provides a tidy R interface to a fast pathtracer written in C++ to render scenes built out of an array of primitives and meshes. rayrender builds scenes using a pipeable iterative interface, and supports diffuse, metallic, dielectric (glass), glossy, microfacet, light emitting materials, as well as procedural and user-specified image/roughness/bump/normal textures and HDR environment lighting. rayrender includes multicore support (with progress bars) via RcppThread, random number generation via the PCG RNG, OBJ/PLY support, and denoising support with Intel Open Image Denoise (OIDN).
Browse the documentation and see more examples at the website (if you aren’t already there):
# To install the latest version from Github:
# install.packages("devtools")
devtools::install_github("tylermorganwall/rayrender")To get denoising support, you need to install OIDN. You can download the
official binaries from Intel and set the OIDN_PATH argument in your
.Renviron file with the following command line instructions:
# Download the appropriate binary for your architecture
curl -LO https://github.com/OpenImageDenoise/oidn/releases/download/v2.3.1/oidn-2.3.1.x86_64.macos.tar.gz
# or for Apple Silicon
curl -LO https://github.com/OpenImageDenoise/oidn/releases/download/v2.3.1/oidn-2.3.1.arm64.macos.tar.gz
# Extract the archive
tar -xvzf oidn-2.3.1.x86_64.macos.tar.gz
# or for Apple Silicon
tar -xvzf oidn-2.3.1.arm64.macos.tar.gz
# Set OIDN_PATH in your .Renviron file to the extracted directory
echo "OIDN_PATH=/path/to/extracted/oidn" >> ~/.Renviron# Download the binary
curl -LO https://github.com/OpenImageDenoise/oidn/releases/download/v2.3.1/oidn-2.3.1.x86_64.linux.tar.gz
# Extract the archive
tar -xvzf oidn-2.3.1.x86_64.linux.tar.gz
# Set OIDN_PATH in your .Renviron file to the extracted directory
echo "OIDN_PATH=/path/to/extracted/oidn" >> ~/.Renviron# Download the binary
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://github.com/OpenImageDenoise/oidn/releases/download/v2.3.1/oidn-2.3.1.x64.windows.zip -OutFile oidn-2.3.1.x64.windows.zip
# Extract the archive
Expand-Archive -Path oidn-2.3.1.x64.windows.zip -DestinationPath "C:\path\to\extract\oidn"
# Set OIDN_PATH in your .Renviron file to the extracted directory
echo "OIDN_PATH=C:/path/to/extracted/oidn" >> .RenvironEnsure you restart your R session after setting the OIDN_PATH
environment variable for the changes to take effect.
We’ll first start by rendering a simple scene consisting of the ground,
a sphere, and the included R.obj file. The location of the R.obj
file can be accessed by calling the function r_obj(). First adding the
ground using the render_ground() function. This renders an extremely
large sphere that (at our scene’s scale) functions as a flat surface. We
also add a simple blue sphere to the scene.
library(rayrender)
scene = generate_ground(material=diffuse(checkercolor="grey20")) %>%
add_object(sphere(y=0.2,material=glossy(color="#2b6eff",reflectance=0.05)))
render_scene(scene, parallel = TRUE, width = 800, height = 800, samples = 64)
By default, a scene without any lights includes a blue sky. We can turn
this off either by setting ambient_light = FALSE, or by adding a light
to our scene. We will add an emissive sphere above and behind our
camera.
scene = generate_ground(material=diffuse(checkercolor="grey20")) %>%
add_object(sphere(y=0.2,material=glossy(color="#2b6eff",reflectance=0.05))) %>%
add_object(sphere(y=10,z=1,radius=4,material=light(intensity=4))) %>%
add_object(sphere(z=15,material=light(intensity=70)))
render_scene(scene, parallel = TRUE, width = 800, height = 800, samples = 64)
Now we’ll add the (included) R .obj file into the scene, using the
obj_model() function. We will scale it down slightly using the
scale_obj argument, and then embed it on the surface of the ball.
scene = generate_ground(material=diffuse(checkercolor="grey20")) %>%
add_object(sphere(y=0.2,material=glossy(color="#2b6eff",reflectance=0.05))) %>%
add_object(obj_model(r_obj(simple_r = TRUE),
z=1,y=-0.05,scale_obj=0.45,material=diffuse())) %>%
add_object(sphere(y=10,z=1,radius=4,material=light(intensity=4))) %>%
add_object(sphere(z=15,material=light(intensity=70)))
render_scene(scene, parallel = TRUE, width = 800, height = 800, samples = 64)
Here we’ll render a grid of different viewpoints.
filename = tempfile()
image1 = render_scene(scene, parallel = TRUE, width = 400, height = 400,
lookfrom = c(7,1,7), samples = 64, return_raw_array = TRUE)
image2 = render_scene(scene, parallel = TRUE, width = 400, height = 400,
lookfrom = c(0,7,7), samples = 64, return_raw_array = TRUE)
image3 = render_scene(scene, parallel = TRUE, width = 400, height = 400,
lookfrom = c(-7,0,-7), samples = 64, return_raw_array = TRUE)
image4 = render_scene(scene, parallel = TRUE, width = 400, height = 400,
lookfrom = c(-7,7,7), samples = 64, return_raw_array = TRUE)
rayimage::plot_image_grid(list(image1,image2,image3,image4), dim = c(2,2))
Here’s another example: We start by generating an empty Cornell box and
rendering it with render_scene(). Setting parallel = TRUE will
utilize all available cores on your machine. The lookat, lookfrom,
aperture, and fov arguments control the camera, and the samples
argument controls how many samples to take at each pixel. Higher sample
counts result in a less noisy image.
scene = generate_cornell()
render_scene(scene, lookfrom=c(278,278,-800),lookat = c(278,278,0), aperture=0, fov=40, samples = 64,
ambient_light=FALSE, parallel=TRUE, width=800, height=800)
Here we add a metal ellipsoid, a checkered purple cube, a colored glass
sphere, a pig, and plaster the walls with the iris dataset using
textures applied to rectangles. We first write the textures out to a
temporary filename, and then read the image back in using the
png::readPNG() function. We then pass this to the image argument in
the diffuse material, which applies it as a texture.
tempfileplot = tempfile()
png(filename=tempfileplot,height=1600,width=1600)
plot(iris$Petal.Length,iris$Sepal.Width,col=iris$Species,pch=18,cex=12)
dev.off()## quartz_off_screen
## 2
image_array = png::readPNG(tempfileplot)
generate_cornell() %>%
add_object(ellipsoid(x=555/2,y=100,z=555/2,a=50,b=100,c=50, material = metal(color="lightblue"))) %>%
add_object(cube(x=100,y=130/2,z=200,xwidth = 130,ywidth=130,zwidth = 130,
material=diffuse(checkercolor="purple", checkerperiod = 30),angle=c(0,10,0))) %>%
add_object(pig(x=100,y=190,z=200,scale=40,angle=c(0,30,0))) %>%
add_object(sphere(x=420,y=555/8,z=100,radius=555/8,
material = dielectric(color="orange"))) %>%
add_object(yz_rect(x=0.01,y=300,z=555/2,zwidth=400,ywidth=400,
material = diffuse(image_texture = image_array))) %>%
add_object(yz_rect(x=555/2,y=300,z=555-0.01,zwidth=400,ywidth=400,
material = diffuse(image_texture = image_array),angle=c(0,90,0))) %>%
add_object(yz_rect(x=555-0.01,y=300,z=555/2,zwidth=400,ywidth=400,
material = diffuse(image_texture = image_array),angle=c(0,180,0))) %>%
render_scene(lookfrom=c(278,278,-800),lookat = c(278,278,0), aperture=0, fov=40, samples = 64,
ambient_light=FALSE, parallel=TRUE, width=800, height=800)
Rayrender also has an interface to create objects using constructive solid geometry, with a wide variety of primitives and operations.
generate_ground(material=diffuse(checkercolor="grey20")) %>%
add_object(csg_object(csg_combine(
csg_combine(
csg_box(),
csg_sphere(radius=0.707),
operation="intersection"),
csg_group(list(csg_cylinder(start=c(-1,0,0), end=c(1,0,0), radius=0.4),
csg_cylinder(start=c(0,-1,0), end=c(0,1,0), radius=0.4),
csg_cylinder(start=c(0,0,-1), end=c(0,0,1), radius=0.4))),
operation="subtract"),
material=glossy(color="red"))) %>%
add_object(csg_object(csg_translate(csg_combine(
csg_onion(csg_onion(csg_onion(csg_sphere(radius=0.3), 0.2), 0.1),0.05),
csg_box(y=1,width=c(10,2,10)), operation = "subtract"), x=1.3),
material=glossy(color="purple"))) %>%
add_object(csg_object(csg_combine(
csg_sphere(x=-1.2,z=-0.3, y=0.5,radius = 0.4),
csg_sphere(x=-1.4,z=0.4, radius = 0.4), operation="blend", radius=0.5),
material=glossy(color="dodgerblue4"))) %>%
add_object(sphere(y=5,x=3,radius=1,material=light(intensity=30))) %>%
render_scene(clamp_value=10, fov=20,lookfrom=c(5,5,10),samples=64,width=800,height=800)
We can also use the path() element to draw 3D paths. Here, we render
the Lorenz attractor:
library(deSolve)
parameters = c(s = 10, r = 28, b = 8/3)
state = c(X = 1, Y = 0, Z = 1)
Lorenz = function(t, state, parameters) {
with(as.list(c(state, parameters)), {
dX = s * (Y - X)
dY = X * (r - Z) - Y
dZ = X * Y - b * Z
list(c(dX, dY, dZ))
})
}
times = seq(0, 50, by = 0.05)
vals = ode(y = state, times = times, func = Lorenz, parms = parameters)[,-1]
#scale and rearrange:
vals = vals[,c(1,3,2)]/20
generate_studio() %>%
add_object(path(points=vals,y=-0.6,width=0.01,material=diffuse(color="red"))) %>%
add_object(sphere(y=5,z=5,radius=0.5,material=light(intensity=200))) %>%
render_scene(samples=64,lookat=c(0,0.5,0),lookfrom=c(0,1,10),width = 800, height = 800, parallel=TRUE)
rayrender also supports an extruded path object that generates a variable width path with any non-intersecting simple polygon (including holes) as an input. You can vary the width, add twist, and change the shape of the polygon along the path’s length.
points = list(c(0,0,1),c(-0.5,0,-1),c(0,1,-1),c(1,0.5,0),c(0.6,0.3,1))
#Create star polygon
angles = seq(0,360,by=36)
xx = rev(c(rep(c(1,0.5),5),1) * sinpi(angles/180))
yy = rev(c(rep(c(1,0.5),5),1) * cospi(angles/180))
star_polygon = data.frame(x=xx,y=yy)
#Extrude a path using a star polygon
generate_studio(depth=-0.4) |>
add_object(extruded_path(points = points, width=abs(cospi(seq(0,4,by=0.01)))/4,
polygon = star_polygon,
twists = 4,
breaks = 1000,
material=diffuse(color="purple"))) |>
add_object(sphere(y=3,z=5,x=2,radius=1,material=light(intensity=15))) |>
render_scene(lookat=c(0.3,0.5,1),
fov=12, width=800,height=800,
aperture=0.025, samples=64)## Warning in mesh3d_model(mesh, x = x, y = y, z = z, override_material = TRUE, :
## material set as vertex color but no texture or bump map passed--ignoring mesh3d
## material.
#Render a closed Mobius strip with 1.5 turns
points = list(c(0,0,0),c(0.5,0.5,0),c(0,1,0),c(-0.5,0.5,0))
square_polygon = matrix(c(-1, -0.1, 0,
1, -0.1, 0,
1, 0.1, 0,
-1, 0.1, 0)/10, ncol=3,byrow = T)
generate_studio(depth=-0.2,
material=diffuse(color = "dodgerblue4", checkercolor = "#002a61",
checkerperiod = 1)) |>
add_object(extruded_path(points = points, polygon=square_polygon, closed = TRUE,
linear_step = TRUE, twists = 1.5, breaks = 720,
material = diffuse(noisecolor = "black", noise = 10,
noiseintensity = 10))) |>
add_object(sphere(y=20,x=0,z=21,material=light(intensity = 1000))) |>
render_scene(lookat=c(0,0.5,0), fov=10, samples=64,
width = 800, height=800)## Warning in mesh3d_model(mesh, x = x, y = y, z = z, override_material = TRUE, :
## material set as vertex color but no texture or bump map passed--ignoring mesh3d
## material.
Finally, rayrender supports environment lighting with the
environment_light argument. Pass a high dynamic range image (.hdr)
or a low-dynamic range image (.jpg,.png) and the image will be used
to light the scene (along with any other lights). Here’s an example
using an HDR image of Venice at sunset (obtained for free from
hdrihaven.com), also using the Oren-Nayar diffuse model with
sigma = 90 for a more realistic diffuse surface. We also add an
extruded polygon star, using the extruded_polygon object.
tempfilehdr = tempfile(fileext = ".hdr")
download.file("https://www.tylermw.com/data/venice_sunset_2k.hdr",tempfilehdr, mode="wb")
hollow_star = rbind(star_polygon, 0.8 * star_polygon)
generate_ground(material = diffuse(color="grey20", checkercolor = "grey50",sigma=90)) %>%
add_object(sphere(material=microfacet(roughness = 0.2,
eta=c(0.216,0.42833,1.3184), kappa=c(3.239,2.4599,1.8661)))) %>%
add_object(obj_model(y=-1,x=-1.8,r_obj(simple_r = TRUE),
angle=c(0,135,0),material = diffuse(sigma=90))) %>%
add_object(pig(x=1.8,y=-1.2,scale=0.5,angle=c(0,90,0),diffuse_sigma = 90)) %>%
add_object(extruded_polygon(hollow_star,top=-0.5,bottom=-1, z=-2,
holes = nrow(star_polygon),
material=diffuse(color="red",sigma=90))) %>%
render_scene(parallel = TRUE, environment_light = tempfilehdr, width=800,height=800,
fov=70,samples=64, aperture=0.1, sample_method = "sobol_blue",
lookfrom=c(-0.9,1.2,-4.5),lookat=c(0,-1,0))
Thanks to Brodie Gaslam (@brodieG) for contributions to the
extruded_polygon() function.