1,755 research outputs found
Real Time Animation of Virtual Humans: A Trade-off Between Naturalness and Control
Virtual humans are employed in many interactive applications using 3D virtual environments, including (serious) games. The motion of such virtual humans should look realistic (or ânaturalâ) and allow interaction with the surroundings and other (virtual) humans. Current animation techniques differ in the trade-off they offer between motion naturalness and the control that can be exerted over the motion. We show mechanisms to parametrize, combine (on different body parts) and concatenate motions generated by different animation techniques. We discuss several aspects of motion naturalness and show how it can be evaluated. We conclude by showing the promise of combinations of different animation paradigms to enhance both naturalness and control
Functionality-Driven Musculature Retargeting
We present a novel retargeting algorithm that transfers the musculature of a
reference anatomical model to new bodies with different sizes, body
proportions, muscle capability, and joint range of motion while preserving the
functionality of the original musculature as closely as possible. The geometric
configuration and physiological parameters of musculotendon units are estimated
and optimized to adapt to new bodies. The range of motion around joints is
estimated from a motion capture dataset and edited further for individual
models. The retargeted model is simulation-ready, so we can physically simulate
muscle-actuated motor skills with the model. Our system is capable of
generating a wide variety of anatomical bodies that can be simulated to walk,
run, jump and dance while maintaining balance under gravity. We will also
demonstrate the construction of individualized musculoskeletal models from
bi-planar X-ray images and medical examinations.Comment: 15 pages, 20 figure
Real-time biped character stepping
PhD ThesisA rudimentary biped activity that is essential in interactive evirtual worlds, such as
video-games and training simulations, is stepping. For example, stepping is fundamental in everyday terrestrial activities that include walking and balance recovery.
Therefore an eďŹective 3D stepping control algorithm that is computationally fast
and easy to implement is extremely valuable and important to character animation
research. This thesis focuses on generating real-time controllable stepping motions
on-the-ďŹy without key-framed data that are responsive and robust (e.g.,can remain
upright and balanced under a variety of conditions, such as pushes and dynami-
cally changing terrain). In our approach, we control the characterâs direction and
speed by means of varying the stepposition and duration. Our lightweight stepping
model is used to create coordinated full-body motions, which produce directable
steps to guide the character with speciďŹc goals (e.g., following a particular path
while placing feet at viable locations). We also create protective steps in response
to random disturbances (e.g., pushes). Whereby, the system automatically calculates where and when to place the foot to remedy the disruption. In conclusion,
the inverted pendulum has a number of limitations that we address and resolve
to produce an improved lightweight technique that provides better control and
stability using approximate feature enhancements, for instance, ankle-torque and
elongated-body
Utilizing gravity in movement-based games and play
This paper seeks to expand the understanding of gravity as a powerful but underexplored design resource for movement-based games and play. We examine how gravity has been utilized and manipulated in digital, physical, and mixed reality games and sports, considering five central and gravity-related facets of user experience: realism, affect, challenge, movement diversity, and sociality. For each facet, we suggest new directions for expanding the field of movement-based games and play, for example through novel combinations of physical and digital elements.
Our primary contribution is a structured articulation of a novel point of view for designing games and interactions for the moving body. Additionally, we point out new research directions, and our conceptual framework can be used as a design tool. We demonstrate this in 1) creating and evaluating a novel gravity-based game mechanic, and 2) analyzing an existing movement-based game and suggesting future improvements
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