CIS 565: GPU Programming and Architecture

Fall 2018

Patrick Cozzi

University of Pennsylvania
Computer Graphics @ Penn

Description

A timely selection from the following topics:

• GPU Computing: GPU architecture, massively parallel programming, parallel algorithms, performance
• Rendering: Graphics pipeline (rasterization), path tracing, deferred shading, forward+ rendering, VR
• APIs: CUDA, WebGL, Vulkan

This is a project-intensive course with significant coding, writing, and presenting. It is more work than any other course, but it is worth it.

For a course more focused on GPU architecture without graphics, see Joe Devietti's CIS 601.

Prerequisites

• Passion for computer graphics.
• CIS 460/560: Introduction to Computer Graphics. Preferably received an A. Knowledge of rasterization and ray tracing.
• Strong C or C++.
• Also useful:
  • CIS 371: Digital Systems Organization and Design, or
  • CIS 501: Introduction to Computer Architecture.

Repos, Schedule, Google Group, and LinkedIn

• Repos: fork your repos from here
• Google Doc: for the class schedule, slides, and project schedule
  
• cis-565-fall-2018@googlegroups.com: google group for general and project questions
  
• LinkedIn Group: for networking with current and previous course students

Head Lecturer

Shehzan Mohammed

Course Advisor

Patrick Cozzi, pjcozzi+cis565@gmail.com

Teaching Assistants

Ottavio Hartman, hartmano@sas.upenn.edu
Office: SIG Lab
Office Hours: Tuesday 10:30am-noon, Wednesday 12:30pm-2

Youssef, vicy@seas.upenn.edu
Office: SIG Lab
Office Hours: Monday, Thursday 10am-12

Recommended Reading

• Moving Graphics Research into Development, Patrick Cozzi
• How to Make an Attractive GitHub Repository, Patrick Cozzi

No books are required, but course material comes from many sources including:

• Programming Massively Parallel Processors, Second Edition, 2012, David Kirk and Wen-mei Hwu. Old draft pdfs are on the website for ECE 498 AL at UIUC.
• Real-Time Rendering, Third Edition, 2008, Tomas Akenine-Möller, Eric Haines, and Naty Hoffman.

Grading

• Projects: 50%
• Final Project: 50%

Academic Integrity

An academic integrity violation will result in the student receiving an F in this course.

See Academic Integrity at the University of Pennsylvania: A Guide for Students.

Acknowledgments

Joe Kider, Gary Katz, and Suresh Venkatasubramanian taught this course before me.

All former TAs have helped shape this course: Kaixiang Miao, Austin Eng, Shuai Shao (Shrek), Gary Li, Kai Ninomiya, Harmony Li, Liam Boone, Karl Li, Varun Sampath, and Jon McCaffrey.

Previous students have provided significant course feedback including: Xing Du, Karl Li, and Ian Lilley.

Many passionate folks in our field have also provided course input: Johan Andersson, (@repi),Quarup Barreirinhas, (@quarup), Wolfgang Engel, (@wolfgangengel), Mikkel Gjoel, (@pixelmager), Eric Haines, (@pointinpolygon), Dominik Lazarek, (@Omme), Emil Persson, (@_Humus_), and Christophe Riccio, (@g_truc).