In late 2018, Intel Studios reached out to explore the possibility of natively rendering their large-scale point cloud datasets (captured performances) on an iPhone X at 60 fps, without overheating the device. Previously, they had been using Unity to prototype and create experiences, but they were interested in developing a native SDK to enable iOS developers to integrate their datasets into custom applications. This inquiry initiated my deep dive into optimizing point cloud rendering using Apple’s Metal framework.

The images here showcase the final results: sparse point clouds rendered on an iPad Pro (2018) at 60 fps, complete with real-time shadows. This project laid the groundwork for what would become Satin, a 3D framework built on Metal with an API inspired by Three.js. Satin is now archived and you can find the code here: Satin on GitHub.