Point-Based Graphics
Among Prof. Gross's most fundamental and pioneering technical contributions is his work establishing point samples as effective primitives for computer graphics. Starting in the late 1990s, his research explored the utility of point samples for various graphics computations, such as the representation of 3D objects, geometric modeling, geometry processing, filtering, animation, and rendering, offering a powerful alternative to traditional triangle-based pipelines. In a sequence of highly cited scientific publications on this subject, Gross and his collaborators have demonstrated that many graphics operations can by accomplished very efficiently on point sampled representations. Key outputs from this period are summarized in a published book (M. Gross, H.-P. Pfister (Eds.): Point-Based Graphics, Morgan-Kaufmann, 2007). Further information as well as the full list of his publications on points can be found at CGL website. His research on point-based graphics also led to the creation of PointShop3D, an open source software that has been used by researchers worldwide. The fundamental principles established in Prof. Gross's work continue to shape modern advancements, with their impact evident in the latest AI-driven technologies such as Gaussian splatting, which leverages point-based representations for high-quality neural rendering and scene reconstruction.