99,796 research outputs found
A RULE-BASED APPROACH TO ANIMATING MULTI-AGENT ENVIRONMENTS
This dissertation describes ESCAPE (Expert Systems in Computer Animation Production
Environments), a multi-agent animation system for building domain-oriented, rule-based
visual programming environments.
Much recent work in computer graphics has been concerned with producing
behavioural animations of artificial life-forms mainly based on algorithmic approaches.
This research indicates how, by adding an inference engine and rules that describe such
behaviour, traditional computer animation environments can be enhanced.
The comparison between using algorithmic approaches and using a rule-based
approach for representing multi-agent worlds is not based upon their respective claims
to completeness, but rather on the ease with which end users may express their
knowledge and control their animations with a minimum of technical knowledge.
An environment for the design of computer animations incorporating an expert
system approach is described. In addition to direct manipulation of objects on the
screen, the environment allows users to describe behavioural rules based upon both the
physical and non-physical attributes of objects. These rules can be interpreted to
suggest the transition from stage to stage or to automatically produce a longer
animation. The output from the system can be integrated into a commercially available
3D modelling and rendering package.
Experience indicates that a hybrid environment, mixing algorithmic and rule-based
approaches, would be very promising and offer benefits in application areas such
as creating realistic background scenes and modelling human beings or animals either
singly or in groups.
A prototype evaluation system and three different domains are described and
illustrated with preliminary animated images
Recommended from our members
Development of low cost packaged fibre optic sensors for use in reinforced concrete structures
There is an ongoing need to measure strains in reinforced concrete structures more reliably and under a range of circumstances e.g. long term durability (such as effects of cracking and reinforcement corrosion), response to normal working loads and response under abnormal load conditions. Fibre optic sensors have considerable potential for this purpose and have the additional advantages, including of immunity to electromagnetic interference and light weight (Grattan et al., 2000). This is important in railway scenarios and particularly so when the lines are electrified. Their small size allows for easy installation. However, their use as commercial ‘packaged’ devices (traditionally seen as necessary to achieve adequate robustness) is limited by their high cost relative to other sensor devices such as encapsulated electric resistance strain gauges. This paper describes preliminary work to produce a cost-effective and easy-to-use technique for encapsulating fibre optic sensors in resin using 3D printing techniques to produce a robust, inexpensive ‘packaged’ sensor system suitable for use with concrete structures. The work done to date has shown this to be a convenient and economical way of producing multiple sensors which were suitable for both surface mounting and embedment in reinforced concrete structures. The proof-of-concept testing to which the trial packages were subjected is described in the paper and the results indicate that 3D printed packages have considerable potential for further development and use in a variety of civil engineering applications, competing well with more conventional sensor systems
- …