Embedded Implicit Stand-ins for Animated Meshes: a Case of Hybrid Modelling

In this paper we address shape modelling problems, encountered in computer animation and computer games development that are difficult to solve just using polygonal meshes. Our approach is based on a hybrid modelling concept that combines polygonal meshes with implicit surfaces. A hybrid model consists of an animated polygonal mesh and an approximation of this mesh by a convolution surface stand-in that is embedded within it or is attached to it. The motions of both objects are synchronised using a rigging skeleton. This approach is used to model the interaction between an animated mesh object and a viscoelastic substance, normally modelled in implicit form. The adhesive behaviour of the viscous object is modelled using geometric blending operations on the corresponding implicit surfaces. Another application of this approach is the creation of metamorphosing implicit surface parts that are attached to an animated mesh. A prototype implementation of the proposed approach and several examples of modelling and animation with near real-time preview times are presented

A virtual world of paleontology

Computer-aided visualization and analysis of fossils has revolutionized the study of extinct organisms. Novel techniques allow fossils to be characterized in three dimensions and in unprecedented detail. This has enabled paleontologists to gain important insights into their anatomy, development, and preservation. New protocols allow more objective reconstructions of fossil organisms, including soft tissues, from incomplete remains. The resulting digital reconstructions can be used in functional analyses, rigorously testing long-standing hypotheses regarding the paleobiology of extinct organisms. These approaches are transforming our understanding of long-studied fossil groups, and of the narratives of organismal and ecological evolution that have been built upon them

A 3D+t Laplace operator for temporal mesh sequences

International audienceThe Laplace operator plays a fundamental role in geometry processing. Several discrete versions have been proposed for 3D meshes and point clouds, among others. We define here a discrete Laplace operator for temporally coherent mesh sequences, which allows to process mesh animations in a simple yet efficient way. This operator is a discretization of the Laplace-Beltrami operator using Discrete Exterior Calculus on CW complexes embedded in a four-dimensional space. A parameter is introduced to tune the influence of the motion with respect to the geometry. This enables straightforward generalization of existing Laplacian static mesh processing works to mesh sequences. An application to spacetime editing is provided as example

On some interactive mesh deformations

Techniques devoted to deform 3D models are an important research field in Computer Graphics. They can be used in differentstages: the modelling phase, the animation process and also during some special simulations. Additionally, some applications may require the manipulation of 3D models under certain restrictions to preserve the volume of the modified object. Hence, thepresent PhD Dissertation explores new algorithms to perform flexible, robust and efficient 3D deformations. Apart from this, it also researches on a new methodology to restrict these deformations so that the volume of the manipulated model remains constant. Some of the most used methods to achieve smooth deformations are those included in the Cage-Based Deformation paradigm. Cage-based deformations enclose the model to be deformed in a coarse polyhedron, the cage. Then, they usually rely on Generalized Barycentric Coordinates to relate the model with the vertices, and other geometric elements, of this cage, which are the control points or the deformation handles. Finally, every time that one of these handles is dragged, the model is deformed accordingly. Although this paradigm is simple, elegant and performs efficient deformations, some cage-free space deformation techniques have recently appeared. They increase the flexibility of the deformation handles, which do not need to be connected, and define powerful tools that make the deformation process more versatile and intuitive. In this context, the Dissertation introduces new Generalized Barycentric Coordinate systems specially designed to be used in a cage-free environment. Any user who wants to use the presented schemes only needs to locate a set of control points in the vicinity of the model that he or she wants to deform. These handles can be placed wherever he or she considers mode suitable and the only requirement is that the model has to be enclosed in their convex hull. Up to now, there are few techniques to produce volume-preserving space deformations. However, in recent years there has been a growing interest in performing constrained deformations due to their more realistic and physically plausible results. Our contribution to this research line consists in a deformation framework that preserves the volume of the 3D models by means of its gradient and a control surface to restrict the movement of the handles. Moreover, the proposed methodology is not restricted to the cage-based schemes, but it can also be used in a cage-free environment. Finally, our research can be specially useful for spatial deformations of biological and medical models. This kind of models represent real organs and tissues, which are often soft and lack an internal rigid structure. In addition, they are elastic and incompressible. Any application designed to deal with this group of models and to train or assist doctors must be flexible, robust, efficient and user-friendly. The combination of the proposed cage-free systems with the presented volume-preserving deformation framework satisfiesLes deformacions de models 3D s'utilitzen en diverses etapes de la generació de continguts digitals: durant la fase de modelatge, durant el procés d'animació i en alguns tipus de simulacions. A més a més, hi ha aplicacions que necessiten que la manipulació dels models 3D es faci tenint en compte certes restriccions que permeten la conservació del volum de l'objecte modificat. Tot plegat fa que les tècniques de deformació 3D siguin un camp d'estudi molt important dins del món dels Gràfics. Per aquesta raó, aquesta Tesi Doctoral estudia nous algorismes que permetin realitzar deformacions 3D de manera flexible, robusta i eficient i que, a més a més, permetin conservar el volum dels objectes modificats. Un dels paradigmes més utilitzats per tal de realitzar deformacions suaus és el conegut amb el nom de Deformacions Basades en un Poliedre Englobant. Aquesta família de mètodes embolcalla el model que es vol deformar, normalment representat com una malla de triangles, dins d'un poliedre simple, amb poques cares. Un cop fet això, estableix un sistema de Coordenades Baricèntriques Generalitzades per tal de definir els vèrtexs del model a partir dels vèrtexs del poliedre englobant, els quals s'anomenen punts de control o controls de la deformació. D'aquesta manera, cada cop que s'arrossega o es modifica un d'aquests punts de control, el model que es troba dins del poliedre englobant es deforma segons el sistema de coordenades que s'ha definit. Tot i que aquest paradigma és simple, elegant i eficient, des de fa ja uns anys han començat a aparèixer noves tècniques que no necessiten el poliedre englobant per tal de realitzar la deformació. El seu principal objectiu és augmentar la flexibilitat dels controls de la deformació i definir eines que facin que el procés de deformació sigui més versàtil i intuïtiu. Tenint en compte aquest factor, aquesta Tesi també estudia sistemes de Coordenades Baricèntriques Generalitzades dissenyats per realitzar deformacions sense la necessitat de definir el poliedre englobant. D'aquesta manera, qualsevol usuari que vulgui utilitzar els mètodes que es presenten en aquesta Dissertació només s'ha d'encarregar de definir un conjunt de punts de control al voltant del model que vol deformar, podent-los posar allí on consideri més oportú segons la deformació que vulgui obtenir. L'únic requeriment necessari és que el model ha de quedar dins de l'envolupant convexa d'aquests punts de control. Actualment existeixen pocs mètodes que realitzin deformacions 3D amb preservació del volum. No obstant això, d'un temps ençà ha augmentat l'interès per realitzar deformacions subjectes a certes restriccions que fan que el resultat sigui més realista i físicament versemblant. La contribució d'aquesta Tesi dins d'aquesta línia de recerca consisteix en un sistema de deformació que preserva el volum dels objectes 3D gràcies a còmput del seu gradient i a una superfície de control que restringeix el moviment dels punts de control. Aquest mètode es pot aplicar tant als sistemes de deformació que necessiten un poliedre englobant com als que no el necessiten. Finalment, i ja per acabar, la recerca realitzada pot ser especialment útil per tal de realitzar deformacions de models mèdics i biològics. Aquests tipus de models poden representar òrgans i teixits reals, els quals, normalment, són tous, mancats d'una estructura rígida interna, elàstics i incompressibles. Qualsevol aplicació dissenyada per treballar amb aquest tipus de models i per entrenar i donar assistència a usuaris mèdics hauria de ser flexible, robusta, eficient i fàcil d'utilitzar. La combinació dels mètodes de deformació proposats conjuntament amb el sistema de preservació de volum satisfà totes aquestes condicions. Per aquesta raó es creu que les contribucions realitzades poden esdevenir eines importants per produir deformacions mèdiques.Postprint (published version

Morphology of the inner structures of the facial skeleton in Homo neanderthalensis and the case-study of the Neanderthal from Altamura (Bari, Italy)

The PhD project has the aim to provide an accurate anatomical characterization of the facial regions (with a focus on the para-nasal areas) in the fossil human species Homo neanderthalensis, whose peculiar facial morphology is the topic of unresolved hypothesis on adaptation to climate and/or phylogenetic factors. Both can be at the origin of the variability of Neanderthals and can be taken into consideration, more in general, for the human populations from the Middle and Upper Pleistocene of Europe, thus from around 800 to 11 thousand years ago (ka). In this timespan, it can be seen a differential development of a set of cranial features which was resumed by J.J. Hublin and colleagues with the ‘accretion model’. In this scenario, a Neanderthal specimen from Italy, known as the ‘Altamura Man’ and discovered in 1993 in the Lamalunga karstic system in Apulia (southern Italy), represents a crucial subject of study, because its unique state of preservation and its antiquity, comprised between 172 and 130 ka. The nearly complete skeleton is still preserved in situ because of several factors, among which its exceptional completeness and thus has been the subject of a study of virtual paleoanthropology aimed at the reconstruction and observation of facial structures often damaged or completely absent in the fossil record

Coarse-to-fine skeleton extraction for high resolution 3D meshes

This paper presents a novel algorithm for medial surfaces extraction that is based on the density-corrected Hamiltonian analysis of Torsello and Hancock [1]. In order to cope with the exponential growth of the number of voxels, we compute a first coarse discretization of the mesh which is iteratively refined until a desired resolution is achieved. The refinement criterion relies on the analysis of the momentum field, where only the voxels with a suitable value of the divergence are exploded to a lower level of the hierarchy. In order to compensate for the discretization errors incurred at the coarser levels, a dilation procedure is added at the end of each iteration. Finally we design a simple alignment procedure to correct the displacement of the extracted skeleton with respect to the true underlying medial surface. We evaluate the proposed approach with an extensive series of qualitative and quantitative experiments