Simulation of nested real-time reflections using Render to Texture in the project Museo de la Luz

Abstract

The implementation of nested reflection simulation in interactive three-dimensional environments using the Render to Texture technique within Unity was addressed. The objective was to develop a model capable of reproducing the physical behavior of a periscope in real time, prioritizing both the physical accuracy of the phenomenon and system performance. The methodology consisted of generating cameras associated with reflective planes, which produced dynamic rendering textures by adjusting their position and orientation based on the calculation of the reflected vector, the view direction vector, and the normal of the plane representing the mirror. System performance was measured by increasing the number of reflections and analyzing metrics such as frames per second, rendering time, and memory usage. An average reduction of 40 frames per second and an increase of 1.28 milliseconds per frame for each additional reflection were observed. Regarding physical accuracy, comparison with a real periscope confirmed that the final orientation of the simulated reflections matched the physically observed orientation, thereby validating the implemented algorithm. It was concluded that the simulation represents a feasible solution for rendering nested reflections in real time within web-based interactive environments, offering an appropriate balance between visual accuracy and performance.