Parallax occlusion mapping

Parallax occlusion mapping (POM) is an enhancement of the parallax mapping technique. Parallax occlusion mapping is used to procedurally create 3D definition in textured surfaces, using a displacement map (similar to a topography map) instead of through the generation of new geometry.{{Cite book |last=Engel |first=Wolfgang F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DgMSb_10l7IC&dq=parallax+occlusion&pg=PA135 |title=ShaderX3: Advanced Rendering with DirectX and OpenGL |date=2005 |publisher=Charles River Media |isbn=978-1-58450-357-6 |language=en}} This allows developers of 3D rendering applications to add 3D complexity in textures, which correctly change relative to perspective and with self occlusion in real time (self-shadowing is additionally possible), without sacrificing the processor cycles required to create the same effect with geometry calculations.{{cite web |url=http://ati.amd.com/developer/techreports/2006/I3D2006/Tatarchuk-POM-SI3D06.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908094405/http://ati.amd.com/developer/techreports/2006/I3D2006/Tatarchuk-POM-SI3D06.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 8, 2008 |title=Unknown}}

Parallax occlusion mapping was first published in 2005 by Zoe Brawley and Natalya Tatarchuk in ShaderX3. Natalya Tatarchuk conducted presentations of the technology at SIGGRAPH in 2005.{{Cite web |url=http://www.siggraph.org/s2005/main.php?p=sketches&s=sketches3&f=conference |title=Sketches | Conference: SIGGRAPH 2005 |access-date=2008-11-29 |archive-date=2015-02-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221050329/http://www.siggraph.org/s2005/main.php?p=sketches&s=sketches3&f=conference |url-status=dead }} It was used in ATI's 'Toy Shop Demo' to showcase the Radeon X1800's Ultra-Threaded SM 3.0 technology.{{Cite web|url=http://www.trustedreviews.com/graphics/review/2005/10/05/ATI-Radeon-X1800-Preview/p2|title=Computing - Buying Advice & Guides}} It is used in video games and rendering engines such as Unigine,{{Cite web|url=http://unigine.com/products/unigine/|title=SDK Editions and Pricing | UNIGINE: Real-time 3D engine}} CryEngine 2,{{cite web |url=http://www.cryengine2.com/index.php?pnr=1&conid=2 |title=Crytek | CryENGINE2 |accessdate=2009-12-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091130224928/http://www.cryengine2.com/index.php?pnr=1&conid=2 |archivedate=2009-11-30 }} and CryEngine 3 and Unreal Engine 4.{{cite web |url=http://mycryengine.com/index.php?conid=2 |title=Crytek | MyCryENGINE |accessdate=2009-12-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091017063147/http://www.mycryengine.com/index.php?conid=2 |archivedate=2009-10-17 }} It has also been used to create stereoscopic images from single images.{{Cite web |url=http://www.scalari.net/2008/04/22/generating-stereoscopic-images-with-parallax-occlusion-mapping/ |title=Generating stereoscopic images with parallax occlusion mapping |access-date=2008-11-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219022129/http://www.scalari.net/2008/04/22/generating-stereoscopic-images-with-parallax-occlusion-mapping/ |archive-date=2012-02-19 |url-status=dead }}