CSCE 689:Computer Animation

Jinxiang Chai

CSCE 689: Computer Animation

Course Instructor - Dr. Jinxiang Chai - Richardson 912B - Meeting time: TR 2:20PM-3:35PM - Office hours: Thursday: 3:00-5:00PM (or by

appointment)

Course webpage: http://faculty.cs.tamu.edu/jchai/CSCE689_fall09

CSCE 689: Computer Animation

• Why do you take computer animation class?

CSCE 689: Computer Animation

• Why do you take computer animation class?

• Why should you take this class

- it is fun!

- many exciting applications!

Games

Games

Eyetoy Wiimote Natal project

Movies

Medical applications

Humanoid Robots

More

Computer Animation

A very broad area

- Animation techniques

- Motion capture

- Interaction and animation interfaces

- Animation perception

- etc.

3D Animation

• Animation is the art of creating moving objects

• The object could be

rigid body objects

3D Animation

• Animation is the art of creating moving objects

• The object could be

Skin, face, etc.

3D Animation

• Animation is the art of creating moving objects

• The object could be

Human body

3D Animation

• Animation is the art of creating moving objects

• The object could be

Deformable objects

3D Animation

• Animation is the art of creating moving objects

• The object could be

Crowd

3D Animation

• Animation is the art of creating moving objects

• The object could be

Animals (etc. fish)

3D Animation

• Animation is the art of creating moving objects

• The object could be

Natural phenomena (e.g. fluid)

Animation approaches

• Animation via software - needs talent - time consuming

• Motion capture data - capturing devices are often very expensive

• Physics - needs to solve extremely complex equations - usually very slow - human motion might look robotic

Prerequisities

A good working knowledge with C/C++

Data structure

Linear algebra/Calculus

CPSC 441 (recommended)

Opengl programming experience (recommended)

Grading Scheme

Homework: 30%

- two or three assignments

Class participation: 25%

- presentation and paper summary

Final project: 45%+

No exams!

Final Project

10% Originality

20% Reports (5% each)

5% Final Oral Presentation

65% Quality of Work

Late Policy

Students will be allowed a total of 3 (three) late days.

Each additional late day will incur a 20% penalty.

My Expectation

• Comfortable with major terms and concepts in animation

• Able to independently read and study most current animation research publications

• Prepared to pursue further research in computer animation

• Able to implement key parts of some animation techniques

• Extremely familiar with at least one topic of current interest in animation

Next Lecture

Overview of topics in animation - animation techniques: data-driven, physics-

based, controller based - animation for rigid bodies, deformable objects,

human body/faces, crowd - animation interfaces - animation perception - motion capture - etc.