A New Pseudo Three-Dimensional Segment Method Analytical Ray Tracing (3-D SMART) Technique

The new pseudo three-dimensional (3-D) segment method analytical ray tracing technique (3-D SMART) is similar to the 2-D SMART technique however with the added ability to determine the effects of transverse refractive gradients on a ray path. In the past numerical ray tracing techniques using a form of Haselgrove´s equations were required for realistic 3-D ray tracing. This new 3-D SMART technique is considerably less computer resource intensive than numerical ray tracing techniques and thus is of particular importance for near real-time applications and the general case where it is necessary to trace a vast number of ray paths.