The NURBS Book (Monographs in Visual Communication) (Paperback)

~ (Author), Wayne Tiller (Author) "The two most common methods of representing curves and surfaces in geometric modeling are implicit equations and parametric functions..." (more)
Key Phrases: Chain Rule, Consider Figure, Consider the B-spline (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Piegl and Tiller offer an excellent source of information on NURBS (nonuniform rational B-spines), which fills a very large gap in the technical literature related to CAD/CAM/CAE. It is written for the average engineer with elementary knowledge of college mathematics and computing. It would be very useful to students, teachers, and designers of geometric modeling systems. A well-presented work, with abundant computer-generated figures." -- Choice

Product Description

The second, revised edition of this book covers all aspects of non-uniform rational B-splines necessary to design geometry in a computer-aided environment. Basic B-spline features, curve and surface algorithms, and state-of-the-art geometry tools are all discussed. Detailed code for design algorithms and computational tricks are covered, too, in a lucid, easy-to-understand style, with a minimum of mathematics and using numerous worked examples. The book is a must for students, researchers, and implementors whose work involves the use of splines.

Product Details

• Paperback: 646 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 2nd edition (November 14, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3540615458
• ISBN-13: 978-3540615453
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #332,095 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for the programmer working with NURBS., October 3, 1998

By	Larry Lukis (Long Lake, MN United States) - See all my reviews

I have a reasonable if dated math background, but I'm not a mathematician, I'm a programmer. I was able to work through enough of the math to extract very practical and useful knowledge for my graphics programming work.

I've gone through 3 other graphics book trying to get enough clear information on NURBs, but they were all either inadequate or obscure.

"The NURBS Book" is the one you want.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction to splines for the non-mathematician, February 11, 2000

By	"[e-mail]" (Tampa, Florida) - See all my reviews

One of the greates assets of this book is that it is fairly comprehensive while still using a minimum amount of mathematics. The style is lucid, easy to follow; the numerous C-like algorithms can be adapted to one's own use, and deal with the most important aspect of NURBS. This is easily the best introductory NURBS text. The only problem I see is the lack of discussion for ray-surface intersection tests, which are necessary if NURBS are to be rendered by raytracing. I recommend "The Nurbs Book" to any engineers and graphics professionals interested in curved surfaces.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good reference for implementers who are familiar with NURBS, July 24, 2003

By A Customer

This book is best for those who have at least become familiar with Bezier and NURBS curves and surfaces and want to start implementing some programs.

The illustrations are not as clear as they could be so it may make it a little difficult for first-timers to understand. If you're unfamiliar with Bezier and NURBS curves then "Curves and Surfaces for CAGD" by Farin is probably a better place to start. But if you get Farin's book make sure to get the 5th edition since earlier editions aren't as clear.

With that said there is a wealth of information about creating and manipulating NURBS geometry in this book. All explanations are followed by code implementation. The code is a little difficult to understand at first, but if you stick with it you'll understand their coding style.

4 stars since thier layout and illustrations could be a lot clearer.