<p>&quot;NEE&quot; stands for Next Event Estimation algorithm.
For learning more about this algorithm, you can watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU1dbi827LY" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this presentation from TU Wien</a> or have a look on <a href="https://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/sites/default/files/course/4411/attachments/08_next%20event%20estimation.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">their presentation slides</a>.</p>
<p>Also, you can find a useful piece of code for NEE in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6KDgYk5Nzg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this presentation</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-13T16:27:55.667Z
2022-07-13T16:27:55.667Z
Alireza Parchami
<p>I am reading this paper <a href="https://studios.disneyresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Practical-Path-Guiding-for-Efficient-Light-Transport-Simulation.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[Practical Path Guiding for Efficient Light-Transport Simulation, Müller et al, 2017]</a> and it contains the following sentence:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>In practice, however, we recommend combining path-guiding with NEE via multiple importance sampling due to the ease of im- plementation and low performance overhead.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What does NEE stand for? I have found some other authors using this abbreviation, but no explanation.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-01T21:54:07.217Z
Next event estimation. It is when you sample a point on a light surface and then connect to it from the current vertex. It's also known as a shadow ray. It's basically integration over the surface area of light sources.
lightxbulb
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-02T18:35:29.157Z
It's also known as light sampling.
Peter
<pathtracing><lighting>
What is meant by ‘NEE’ in computer graphics?
Jonas De Schouwer
# What is meant by ‘NEE’ in computer graphics?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-12-01)

I am reading this paper [[Practical Path Guiding for Efficient Light-Transport Simulation, Müller et al, 2017]](https://studios.disneyresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Practical-Path-Guiding-for-Efficient-Light-Transport-Simulation.pdf) and it contains the following sentence:

> In practice, however, we recommend combining path-guiding with NEE via multiple importance sampling due to the ease of im- plementation and low performance overhead.

What does NEE stand for? I have found some other authors using this abbreviation, but no explanation.

**Tags:** pathtracing, lighting

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Next event estimation. It is when you sample a point on a light surface and then connect to it from the current vertex. It's also known as a shadow ray. It's basically integration over the surface area of light sources.  
> **username_2**: It's also known as light sampling.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2022-07-13. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

"NEE" stands for Next Event Estimation algorithm.
For learning more about this algorithm, you can watch [this presentation from TU Wien](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU1dbi827LY) or have a look on [their presentation slides](https://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/sites/default/files/course/4411/attachments/08_next%20event%20estimation.pdf).

Also, you can find a useful piece of code for NEE in [this presentation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6KDgYk5Nzg).


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