Animation of Characters with Articluated Joints
Interactive Animation is possible
-- and demonstrated here -- with Java and Matrix Transformations,
and with other technologies including VRML.
Matrix math is the tool that allows hierarchical objects,
like a human arm or a robot arm with multiple joints,
where the movement of a central joint moves all the nodes on the subtree.
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VRML Avatar, responds to commands
@ 3Name3D by
Cindy Reed-Ballreich
"nancy_h-anim.wrl"
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QuickTime VR
Animation at
Bras Direct
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The Feature Demonstration is below . . .
While it loads . . .
consider the importance of showing motion . . .
The Ally McBeal figure can be scaled, rotated, and translated ( moved ).
Instructions :
- Press the "Start", "Stop" buttons to control the animation.
- To Rotate, Scale, and Translate use the sliders and dials.
- To move Ally's arms and legs Stop the animation then
click on the dials.
The highest dials control the highest joint in the joint hierarchy.
This program is under development and new features are being added.
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Ally McBeal : Stick Figure Animation
An interactive, animated Java program :
Demonstrating Human Animation with Matrix Mathematics.
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Future Features :
- Going all the way to full 3d ( there's some '3d' code in there now ).
- A rich set of 'activities' ( movements ) appropriate to the character.
- Adding new models : Victoria's Secret Fashion show, the Clinton Scandal cast ?
- Allowing models to be added to the program while it runs ( with tree structures ).
- VRML linkages : controlling VRML models, reading VRML files.
This is a partial implementation of a richer 3d animation program.
Esthetics are generally secondary technical considerations at this point,
but even this rough animation provides considerable guidance to me.
I'm not striving for realism;
as a skilled artist can capture the essense of person with few sketched lines,
I'm seeking a minimalist solution that is pleasing and is accessable to the
largest possible audience which implies Java and simple models.
On the other hand, you and I have 206 bones,
so I'll create a 'true' human skeleton for educational purposes.
Simple Java Animation (left), girl walking, running, model modelling (right)
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VRML Humanoid you can manipulate
"jamko3.wrl"
by Kazuyuki Nakajima
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we know . . .
open systems, competition & free software are good, Long Live Java.
This site introduces all aspects of computer graphics.
Copyright © 1998 by Paul Flavin. All rights reserved.