Imagination releases PowerVR SDK and tools including tracing code examples

Imagination releases major updates to PowerVR SDK and toolset

Ray tracing code examples included

Latest software development kit and tools package includes support for high dynamic range (HDR) textures, enhanced debugging capabilities and example ray tracing setups published on the new Imagination developer portal

London, UK, 13 May 2021 – Imagination Technologies has today released Version 21.1 of its popular PowerVR software development kit (SDK) and toolkit, which adds new features and enhanced support for ray tracing, designed to increase functionality and accelerate workflows for developers, technical artists and engineers across all disciplines. The new versions of the SDK and toolkit are available on the new Imagination developer portal.

The updated developer portal makes it easier than ever to access the full PowerVR tool suite. Designed specifically to support Imagination’s growing developer community, it includes new dedicated training material that showcases the breadth of the software development kit’s capabilities.

Chris Smith, vice president of software engineering at Imagination Technologies, says: “With Imagination’s GPU IP found in over 33% of all mobile phones sold worldwide, and a strong presence in many other sectors from DTV to desktop, we have a large developer ecosystem to support. The PowerVR toolkit has always provided a strong and well-equipped set of tools to enable developers to take full advantage of the innovative capabilities of our IP. Version 21.1 is no exception, providing the tools and support required as we enter a new generation of ray-traced graphics on mobile platforms.”

These tools and SDKs have the following important updates:

PowerVR SDK

Designed to support the development of a wide range of graphics and GPU computing applications, the PowerVR SDK now includes four code examples for ray tracing implementations. For the first time, the SDK provides a complete example of how to efficiently deploy different ray tracing setups into developed projects and applications, from basic ray tracing algorithms to hybrid reflections and shadows.

Ray tracing is a graphics rendering technique that makes graphics more realistic than ever before. Imagination has been at the forefront of this technology since the early days of PowerVR Wizard. Find out more about ray tracing.

PVR ray tracing simulation (PVRRayTracingSimulation)

PVRRayTracingSimulation is a collection of Vulkan ray tracing layers that allow users to simulate ray tracing features and behaviors supported by PowerVR hardware. The suite enables developers to fully test ray tracing performance applications, including using hardware that does not natively support ray tracing. With PVRRayTracingSimulation, more developers can use emerging hardware.

PVRTune

PVRTune is Imagination’s hardware profiling tool. It provides hardware data and performance statistics while an application is running, allowing developers to quickly identify performance issues.

A new feature in Version 21.1 is Guided Analysis, which simplifies the analysis process and provides developers with suggestions for potential bottlenecks or slowdown areas, so that they know where to improve the performance of their applications. This feature is based on data collected by PVRTune and can significantly reduce the time required for performance optimization.

There are also some smaller new features, such as the ability to include the mean, variance and standard deviation of each counter into the CSV export, and much-requested WASD controls.

PVRTexTool

PVRTexTool is Imagination's texture encoding and preprocessing tool designed to make it easy for developers to optimize their application's textures. In the latest version, HDR texture information can be encoded in the PowerVR Texture Compression (PVRTC) format. PVRTC-HDR enables higher fidelity textures without compromising texture streaming bandwidth.

Also included is an IBL Environment Map option that can generate diffuse and specular maps for image-based lighting. Diffuse and specular map options are also available through the PVRTexLib library.

PVRCarbon

PVRCarbon is Imagination's API tracing and debugging tool for OpenGL ES and Vulkan, replacing PVRTrace. It can record, replay and analyze an application's use of graphics APIs, giving developers deep insight into the correctness and behavior of their applications. Important updates include added support for OpenCL, independent Android 10 GL ES recording, and local buffer tracing and recording across APIs.