Publication list

Master's theses of year 2026

1. Thore Schillmann. An End-to-End Compute Shader Pipeline for Real-Time Cartographic Projection and Rendering of Vector Geometry. 3 2026. PDF
   Abstract

   All major web mapping services default to the Web Mercator projection. This choice is rooted in both technical advantages and historical precedents. Unique in preserving angles and compass bearings, it is a natural fit for its intended use in nautical navigation. Yet, its significant drawbacks, notably extreme areal distortion at higher latitudes and an inability to represent polar areas, foster widespread misconceptions about the relative sizes of countries, continents, and oceans. While recent research proposes to leverage the interactivity of digital maps to adapt projections by scale and location, most efforts focus heavily on geographic theory. Substantial computergraphics challenges persist: • Computational Cost: Continuous re-projection at interactive frame rates often exceeds the capabilities of current hardware. • Vector Tile Complexity: Modern web mapping systems have moved towards vectorgeometry, for which the necessary processing steps are more complex and resourceintensive. This research capitalizes on recent advancements in graphics APIs—specifically the support for compute shaders in web browsers through WebGPU—to develop an end-to-end, GPUaccelerated pipeline for the projection of spherical vector geometry. The pipeline features two novel algorithms: one for clipping geometry by a spherical circle or the antimeridian and another for adaptively sampling lines based on projection-induced curvature to enhance visual fidelity.
   BibTeX Entry

   @misc{schi26, author = {Thore Schillmann}, title = {An End-to-End Compute Shader Pipeline for Real-Time Cartographic Projection and Rendering of Vector Geometry}, year = {2026}, pdf = {https://bib.nm.ifi.lmu.de/pdf/schi26.pdf}, abstract = {All major web mapping services default to the Web Mercator projection. This choice is rooted in both technical advantages and historical precedents. Unique in preserving angles and compass bearings, it is a natural fit for its intended use in nautical navigation. Yet, its significant drawbacks, notably extreme areal distortion at higher latitudes and an inability to represent polar areas, foster widespread misconceptions about the relative sizes of countries, continents, and oceans. While recent research proposes to leverage the interactivity of digital maps to adapt projections by scale and location, most efforts focus heavily on geographic theory. Substantial computergraphics challenges persist: • Computational Cost: Continuous re-projection at interactive frame rates often exceeds the capabilities of current hardware. • Vector Tile Complexity: Modern web mapping systems have moved towards vectorgeometry, for which the necessary processing steps are more complex and resourceintensive. This research capitalizes on recent advancements in graphics APIs—specifically the support for compute shaders in web browsers through WebGPU—to develop an end-to-end, GPUaccelerated pipeline for the projection of spherical vector geometry. The pipeline features two novel algorithms: one for clipping geometry by a spherical circle or the antimeridian and another for adaptively sampling lines based on projection-induced curvature to enhance visual fidelity.}, key = {schi26}, month = {3}, school = {Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München}, supervisors = {Ruben Garcia Hernandez}, type = {Masterthesis}, }