894 research outputs found
Sketching-out virtual humans: From 2d storyboarding to immediate 3d character animation
Virtual beings are playing a remarkable role in todayâs public entertainment, while ordinary users are still treated as audiences due to the lack of appropriate expertise, equipment, and computer skills. In this paper, we present a fast and intuitive storyboarding interface, which enables users to sketch-out 3D virtual humans, 2D/3D animations, and character intercommunication. We devised an intuitive âstick figurefleshing-outskin mappingâ graphical animation pipeline, which realises the whole process of key framing, 3D pose reconstruction, virtual human modelling, motion path/timing control, and the final animation synthesis by almost pure 2D sketching. A âcreative model-based methodâ is developed, which emulates a human perception process, to generate the 3D human bodies of variational sizes, shapes, and fat distributions. Meanwhile, our current system also supports the sketch-based crowd animation and the storyboarding of the 3D multiple character intercommunication. This system has been formally tested by various users on Tablet PC. After minimal training, even a beginner can create vivid virtual humans and animate them within minutes
Posing 3D Models from Drawing
Inferring the 3D pose of a character from a drawing is a complex and under-constrained problem. Solving it may help automate various parts of an animation production pipeline such as pre-visualisation. In this paper, a novel way of inferring the 3D pose from a monocular 2D sketch is proposed. The proposed method does not make any external assumptions about the model, allowing it to be used on different types of characters. The inference of the 3D pose is formulated as an optimisation problem and a parallel variation of the Particle Swarm Optimisation algorithm called PARAC-LOAPSO is utilised for searching the minimum. Testing in isolation as well as part of a larger scene, the presented method is evaluated by posing a lamp, a horse and a human character. The results show that this method is robust, highly scalable and is able to be extended to various types of models
PPP-Persona : ein objektorientierter Multimedia-PrÀsentationsagent
In zukĂŒnftigen Benutzerschnittstellen werden zunehmend animierte PrĂ€sentationsagenten eingesetzt. Der am DFKI entwickelte PrĂ€sentationsagent PPP-Persona dient dazu, den Benutzer durch eine Hypermedia-PrĂ€sentation zu fĂŒhren. Dank seiner objektorientierten Konzeption ist er jedoch auch fĂŒr eine Vielzahl weiterer Anwendungen einsetzbar, wie beispielsweise Online-Hilfesysteme, Home-Shopping und Tele-Banking. Dem Paradigma der Client/Server-Architektur folgend, empfĂ€ngt der PPP-Persona-Server PrĂ€sentationsaufgaben von einem Anwendungsprogramm, die dieser dann selbstĂ€ndig ausfĂŒhrt. Zur visuellen Realisierung des PrĂ€sentationsagenten kann sowohl auf Cartoon-Zeichungen als auch auf Videobildmaterial zurĂŒckgegriffen werden. Um die PrĂ€sentation lebendiger zu gestalten, kann PPP-Persona selbstĂ€ndig Animationssequenzen initiieren
Face modeling and animation language for MPEG-4 XMT framework
This paper proposes FML, an XML-based face modeling and animation language. FML provides a structured content description method for multimedia presentations based on face animation. The language can be used as direct input to compatible players, or be compiled within MPEG-4 XMT framework to create MPEG-4 presentations. The language allows parallel and sequential action description, decision-making and dynamic event-based scenarios, model configuration, and behavioral template definition. Facial actions include talking, expressions, head movements, and low-level MPEG-4 FAPs. The ShowFace and iFACE animation frameworks are also reviewed as example FML-based animation systems
Design of a virtual human presenter
We have created a virtual human presenter who accepts speech texts with embedded commands as inputs. The presenter acts in real-time 3D animation synchronized with speech. The system was developed on the Jack animated-agent system. Jack provides a 3D graphical environment for controlling articulated figures, including detailed human model
Web GIS to support irrigation management: a prototype for SAGRA network, Alentejo Portugal
Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial TechnologiesAn efficient water management, not only allows significant savings in costs of irrigation,
but also an effective control on the quality of products, which can have obvious
consequences on income operation and reducing the environmental impact of irrigation.
As the Internet is becoming the easiest way of information distribution, irrigation
management system can also be benefitted with it. Integrating GIS functionality with
internet capacity will redefine the way of decision making, sharing and processing of
information. In irrigation systems weather plays an imperative role in decision making,
implementing and forecasting. Temperature, humidity, precipitation, and solar radiation
are the most important parameters to calculate evapotranspiration by which crop water
requirement can be determined.
SAGRA (Sistema AgrometeorolĂłgico para a GestĂŁo da Rega no Alentejo) network is
providing information to the farmers through web but still lacks the use of GIS in their
information to decision support system. Irrigation management support system can be
benefitted with the use of Web GIS. In this thesis, web based GIS is designed using
popular open source tools and software. Using data from automatic weather station maps
are produced using Geo-statistical interpolation techniques and published in web map.
These maps can be viewed with popular online maps like Google maps, Microsoft Bing
and Openstreet maps.
Animated weather maps are also created which are useful for visualizing changing
pattern of weather parameters and water requirement over time
Simulating face to face collaboration for interactive learning systems
The use of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in medical education and other educational settings has escalated. PBL\u27s strength in learning is mostly due to its collaborative and open-ended problem solving approach. Traditional PBL was designed to be used in live team environments rather than in an online setting. We describe research that allows for web-based PBL via geographically distributed physical locations that emphasize PBL\u27s collaboration and open brainstorming approach using interactive web, gaming and simulation techniques. We describe Interactive Face Animation - Comprehensive Environment (iFACE) which allows for expressive voice based character agents along with Collaborative Online Multimedia Problem-based Simulation Software (COMPS) which integrates iFace within a customizable web-based collaboration system. COMPS creates an XML-based multimedia communication medium that is effective for group based case presentations, discussions and other PBL activities
Experimental archeology and serious games: challenges of inhabiting virtual heritage
Experimental archaeology has long yielded valuable insights into the tools and techniques that featured in past peoplesâ relationship with the material world around them. However, experimental archaeology has, hitherto, confined itself to rigid, empirical and quantitative questions. This paper applies principles of experimental archaeology and serious gaming tools in the reconstructions of a British Iron Age Roundhouse. The paper explains a number of experiments conducted to look for quantitative differences in movement in virtual vs material environments using both âvirtualâ studio reconstruction as well as material reconstruction. The data from these experiments was then analysed to look for differences in movement which could be attributed to artefacts and/or environments. The paper explains the structure of the experiments, how the data was generated, what theories may make sense of the data, what conclusions have been drawn and how serious gaming tools can support the creation of new experimental heritage environments
Teaching and learning queueing theory concepts using tangible user interfaces
Tangible User Interfaces (TUI) have emerged in the past years as effective computing platforms that intertwine digital information and visualization with physical interactivity. Whilst successfully capitalizing on these properties within primary education to engage and educate children in an entertaining manner, TUI systems have seen limited deployment in more complex scenarios. To this end, this paper investigates the aptness and effectiveness of implementing TUI systems to enhance teaching and learning within higher educational institutes in order to aid the understanding of complex and abstract concepts. The proposal augments mere simulation processes by developing a table-top architecture to allow the real-time interaction and visualization of queuing theory concepts. The paper describes the deployment of the TUI framework within an undergraduate computer networks degree whereby the quantitative effectiveness of this system is assessed from a teaching and learning perspective within an engineering pedagogy
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