"Graphical marionette" (abstract only)

Abstract

Many person-modelling 3-D animation systems are currently being developed, but often suffer from confusing and elaborate user interfaces. Given over 200 degrees of freedom, the human form is capable of such intricate motion that its specification and display presents considerable difficulty to both animators and animation systems designers. Given such difficulties with single figures, the orchestration of several in parallel remains a major challenge. In pursuit of understanding thoroughly this complex motion of human beings, while faced with the difficulty of modelling the human form using conventional computer graphics techniques, the actual physical mien of the graphic figure is sometimes relegated a secondary status. A primitive and unconvincing appearance is the usual result. Our research in this field addresses these issues of user interface, motion, and expressive appearance within an animation application.