15-869 B: Physically Based Character Animation

Spring 2014
TR 1:30-2:50pm
GHC 5222

Instructor: Nancy Pollard

Email: nsp@cs.cmu.edu
Office: EDSH (Smith) Hall 227, Phone x8-1479
Office Hours: please send email to set up an appointment

Course Description

This course will explore research topics in physically based character animation, where the goal is to obtain a character performance that appears both natural and physically plausible. In particular, we will investigate how the physical properties of a character such as range of motion, weight distribution, and level of coordination constrain and suggest plausible motions for that character. We will explore theory and advances in motion controllers, strengths and limitations of motion optimization algorithms, opportunities for fast physics algorithms for interactive applications, the nature of natural motion and aspects of motion style. In addition to computer graphics literature, we will search biomechanics, human motor control, and evolutionary biology literature for insights obtained from these fields. The course should be appropriate for graduate students with some computer graphics and / or robotics experience and for advanced undergraduates who have taken 15-462 or equivalent.

Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor

Administrative Info / Grading

Syllabus

Week of	Tue	Thu
Jan 14	Introduction Assignment 0 References	Position Based Dynamic Simulation References
Jan 21	Digression about our SIGGRAPH submission	Artist Controlled Dynamic Spaces / Dynamic Sprites References
Jan 28	Forward Dynamics References Forward Dynamics with Spatial Vectors	More Forward Dynamics
Feb 4	Contact References	Staggered Projections References
Feb 11	Control References	Control with Soft Contacts
Feb 18	PROJECT PROPOSALS	PROJECT PROPOSALS
Feb 25	Fluids and Snow (Jason / Se-Joon) Paper Assignments	Cloth (Atulit / Felipe) Paper Assignments
Mar 4	Generating Character Motion (Loic / Shashank) Paper Assignments	Puppetry (Evan / Mark) Paper Assignments
Mar 11	SPRING BREAK	SPRING BREAK
Mar 18	Moshe Mahler -- Expressing Animated Performances through Puppeteering	NO CLASS (SIGGRAPH PC meeting)
Mar 25	Optimization (Nathan / Ben) Paper Assignments	Optimization follow-up References
Apr 1	MONDAY, Mar 31: Ren Ng talk at 10am GHC 6115 Muscles (Yuzi / Luo) Paper Assignments	Stelian Coros talk at 1pm GHC 6115
Apr 8	Keenan Crane talk at 1pm NSH 3305	CARNIVAL
Apr 15	Crowds, Posture, and Perception (Claire / Rachina) Paper Assignments	Katsu Yamane (DRP) -- "Making Robotic Characters Look Expressive and Alive"
Apr 22	MONDAY Apr 21: Gordon Wetzstein 10am GHC 6115 Crowds References	Hair References
Apr 29	Jernej Barbic GHC 4405	FINAL PROJECT PRESENTATIONS