Gaussian Splatting is a cutting-edge rasterization technique that emerged as a significant development in 3D rendering around August 2023. Introduced in the paper titled 3D Gaussian Splatting for Real-Time Radiance Field Rendering, this method rapidly captived the graphics world with its ability to render photorealistic scenes in real-time from a small number of images.

Unlike traditional 3D scene representations that often necessitate a balance between rendering speed and visual quality, Gaussian Splatting offers a solution that excels in both. It represents a 3D scene as millions of particles, known as Gaussian, with each Gaussian defined by its position, orientation, scale, opacity, and color. This approach enables the rendering of complex scenes with remarkable speed and fidelity, a leap forward from previous methods like Neural Radiance Fields (NeRFs), which are slower and less flexible in rendering.

The core of Gaussian Splatting lies in its unique combiation of traditional computer graphics and modern deep learning techniques. By using a set of 3D Gaussian, the technique achieves high-quality novel-view synthesis while maintaining the ability to render scenes in real-time. This is made possible by the innovative optimization and rasterization process integral to Gaussian Splatting, which together create a senses set of 3D Gaussian that accurately represent a scene. This approach has been tested on a variety of real scenes and synthetic datasets, showcasing its versatility and effectiveness.

One of the most compelling examples of Gaussian Splatting was demonstrated in an interactive scene created from a cellphone video recorded at the Duke Gardens in Durham, NC. This example, processed with Luma AI, highlights the technique's capability to produce immersive, photorealistic environments that users can interact with in real-time.

Gaussian Splatting's ability to combine speed, realism, and interactivity marks a significant advancement in the field of 3D graphics. Its introduction has opened up new possibilities for creators in various sectors, particularly in gaming and virtual reality, where real-time rendering is crucial. As this tech continues to evolve, it is going to transform 3D capture and creation, offering a blend of practicality and artistic freedom that were previously unattainable.

Read the original paper by Bernhard Kerbl, Georgios Kopanas, Thomas Leimkühler, and George Drettakis here.