AI BACKPLATE FUSION WITH 360 HDRI MAP INTEGRATION

Unless you have been hiding from the world for the past year or two, you will undoubtedly be more than aware of the AI juggernaut that is changing all our lives. For most it is a terrifying new way of doing things, for some it is an opportunity, and for others it is simply the new shiney. 

The reality is, especially for us creatives, this is just the beginning of a how we will need to execute our creative thinking, but it mustn’t detract from the actual creativity of the idea. 

The Changing Content Landscape

For as long as I can remember stock imagery has been around, and it continues to be so, all be it in a devalued medium. But, that is changing forever as everyone and their dog is playing with mid journey, dalle, firefly or stable diffusion to generate an unknown image with a string of words, but at best a lot of the output leaves a lot to be desired.

The Domeble thesis is, and always has been built on quality, and we have been exploring through our R&D programme how to continue developing our industry leading content and super dynamic 32 bit 360 hdri maps using AI image fusion. Our research has been extensive, and we have developed a solution for our users that is exciting and more importantly license protected, meaning there is never any questions about ownership from scraped internet imagery.

Methodology: Two Approaches to AI CG Backplate Generation.

We have extensively developed  two distinct approaches to produce specific automotive power of AI CGI backplates integrated with 360° HDRI maps:

1. Same Location Blending: This approach uses images from the same shoot and location, ensuring consistent lighting and atmospheric conditions. Our in-house image generation produces alternative backgrounds from the same scene, offering new perspectives and variations without deviating from the original location style or lighting.
2. Multiple Location Blending: Here, we fuse elements from similar location types to create new, optimised CGI sceneplates. By combining the best features of different but related scene types, we generate new unique scenes that are in tune with the original scenes, and in sync with angles and lighting.

Same Location Innovation 

So lets imagine a scenario where an automotive design team, or CG visualisation artist finds the perfect location package in the Domeble collection. The lighting is perfect, the location type is exactly what the client briefed , and these images have a great choice of static backplates and a matching 360 HDRI map to provide the perfect environment for your renders.

However, the client wants more choices, more options and of course a different angle.The solution is to generate a variety of options with our Same Location Innovation approach, which takes the images from the same scene, and generates fresh AI alternative backgrounds. Our AI analyses the original scenes, identifying key elements such as lighting, shadows, and subject. It then creates new backplates that maintain the same atmospheric conditions, same scene style, but offer different angles and perspectives. This ensures that the visual consistency is preserved while providing the design team with a range of options to choose from.

Single Location Scene benefits

The benefits of this approach are multi layered. First and foremost, it saves time and resources. There’s no need to dismiss the perfect location because the desired angle or camera height hasn’t been covered. The AI handles this, generating new scenes that are ready for integration into the design process that most importantly can benefit from a dedicated and scene matched 360 HDRI map in resolutions up to 30k. This streamlined workflow allows designers to focus on refining their concepts rather than worrying about the logistics of having to rethink a creative brief.

Even more relevant is the consistent lighting and atmospheric consistency in the AI-generated backgrounds, ensuring that the rendered appearance remains true to the original scene and the new AI generated backplates. This is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the design and ensuring that stakeholders can accurately assess how the vehicle will look in its preferred environment.

Multiple Location Blending

The second approach, takes innovation a step further by combining elements from different but similar locations. Let’s consider an automotive design team working on a project that requires backgrounds from various urban environments. Instead of conducting separate photoshoots in different cities, our multi scene AI fusion blends elements from these locations, creating a unique and cohesive scene, that maintains the essence and mood / style of the selected location types.

Our AI analyses the characteristics of each location, such as architectural styles, lighting conditions, and similarities. It then fuses these elements to create a new background that incorporates the best features of each environment. For instance, the AI might combine the modern downtown locations of New York City with the similar scenes from London or Paris, resulting in a visually unique and dynamic scene, that maintains the vibe of the location type and presents a totally fresh location to explore.

This approach offers unparalleled creative freedom, and by using dedicated 360 HDRI maps from the original scenes, the data renders look seamless and blended with the same lighting and almost indistinguishable reflections. Designers are no longer limited by the constraints of a single location. They can now explore new possibilities by blending different environments, creating scenes that are visually the same style and contextually relevant. The ability to fuse the best of different locations into a single background opens up a world of opportunities for innovative visualisation and design.

The Role of 360 HDRI in AI Fusion

At the heart of our methodology is our industry recognised expertise in 360 HDRI technology. By integrating our 360 HDRI maps with AI-generated backgrounds, we ensure that the lighting in the final scene is accurate and consistent, and most importantly retains the full dynamics of a 32 bit image.

These 360 HDRI’s serve as the foundation for both Same Location scenes and also the multiple Location blends. This ensures that the lighting conditions in the AI-generated scenes match those in the original HDRI maps.

This integration is critical for achieving photorealism and scene believability. The accurate representation of light and shadow in the HDRI maps ensures that the vehicle’s appearance is true to location type and has the same lighting. When combined with AI-generated backgrounds, the result is a seamless blend of scene consistency and it maintains a high level of creative quality.

CGI Scene AI Fusion

There is also many other creative options that present themselves to the creative playground, such as using dedicated photo locations as hi res backplates that have supporting 360 HDRI maps, and integrating secondary objects that are generated. This means that in a city scene for example an empty street scene can be made to bustle with human interaction, by introducing generated human figures on the streets, or a desert scene can have other world architecture introduced to it to give it a sci-fi vibe. 

Maintaining Licensing Integrity

One of the key concerns with AI-generated content is licensing integrity. There is still a nervousness by brands and agencies to take AI generated imagery into the public domain, and indeed there is yet to be a landmark copyright case, and I’m sure it is inevitable that it will.

At Domeble, we take this issue seriously. All our AI-generated backgrounds are originated and derived from our licensed original images, ensuring that the content remains water-tight from a licensing perspective. This means that our clients can enjoy the benefits of AI image fusion without worrying about potential licensing issues.

By using proprietary content as the foundation for AI-generated CGI backplates, we maintain full control over the creative process. This ensures that the final creative output can be pushed into the public domain with the correct licensing rights associated with the front facing imagery. It also provides peace of mind to clients, knowing that the content is fully licensed and compliant with industry copyright and permissions.

CGI Backplate Innovation 

At Domeble, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in automotive visualisation. Our integration of AI image fusion using our own content with 360 HDRI technology is just one example of how we are leading the way in innovation. By combining the power of AI with our expertise in HDRI, we are transforming the way automotive designs are visualised and reviewed.

Our methodology offers endless possibilities for creative exploration, providing designers with the tools they need to bring their visions to life. Whether it’s creating alternative backgrounds from the same location or blending elements from different environments, our R&D programme continually strives to search for creative solutions built on a foundation of our industry expertise and a deep knowledge of automotive visualisation. We often collaborate with automotive manufactures and CG artists, and if you’d like to see what we can achieve together, please do contact us, or mail carl.lyttle@domeble.com .

Where Is It Taking Us?

The creative industry, especially in the arena of automotive and design visualisation is itself a blend of technology and creativity. Its important therefore to remember that even though we are all running like crazy after the AI genie, it is in fact just another tool in our workflows, and it is true that it is totally changing our workflows, but it is in the end another creative solution.

It is really very exciting (and terrifying) where AI is taking us. As creatives we have a unique opportunity to produce some amazing new content, however, It is also really important that we don’t forget our understanding of light and shade and basic composition. Even more importantly in our pursuit of AI nirvana, is to recognise that original thinking is a fundamental foundation of our creative soul, and that has to be evident through everything we create. 

Lets have fun exploring the new opportunities AI is teasing us with, and if you’d like to discuss the topics mentioned in the blog, or find out more, don’t hesitate to get in touch.