Archive notice: This article was originally published on May 10, 2011. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
According to Pixar at least, these technologies are intended to make full use of current multi-core systems and thereby make the new progressive raytracing suitable for interactive re-rendering during shading and lighting.
New "Deep Compositing" functions are also included, along with the proven point-cloud-based rendering workflow at improved speed. Version 16 also adds a free library whose purpose is to document and distribute various file and workflow standards, namely the C++ binding for RIB and access to Deep Textures.
For anyone who wants to take a look: a trial version is available to download at renderman.pixar.com, and the next issue of DP (4:2011) contains an article about the use and underlying framework of RenderMan.
