Articulated Figure Motion Synthesis

Articulated figure motion remains a challenging area of computer animation. It is difficult to create realistic motion for animated characters using conventional approaches based on traditional animation. These approaches largely employ a process known as "keyframing" where individual poses are constructed at specific points in time. Interpolation is then performed to obtain continuous character motion ("in-betweening").

 

 

This project explores alternative approaches to creation of character motion. These include the use of inverse kinematics and adaptation to the character's environment. The use of dynamicalsimulation is also being explored. Another approach involves use of prerecorded motion capture sequences that are tailored to the requirements of motion. The resulting motion retains the expressive qualities of the data without repetition of a particular motion.

Participants: James K. Hahn, Shih-kai Chung (Kiles), Nadia Al-Ghreimil, Doug Wiley