10 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 10 of 10
Item Avatar Markup Language(The Eurographics Association, 2002) Kshirsagar, Sumedha; Magnenat-Thalmann, Nadia; Guye-Vuillème, Anthony; Thalmann, Daniel; Kamyab, Kaveh; Mamdani, Ebrahim; S. Mueller and W. StuerzlingerSynchronization of speech, facial expressions and body gestures is one of the most critical problems in realistic avatar animation in virtual environments. In this paper, we address this problem by proposing a new high-level animation language to describe avatar animation. The Avatar Markup Language (AML), based on XML, encapsulates the Text to Speech, Facial Animation and Body Animation in a unified manner with appropriate synchronization. We use low-level animation parameters, defined by the MPEG-4 standard, to demonstrate the use of the AML. However, the AML itself is independent of any low-level parameters as such. AML can be effectively used by intelligent software agents to control their 3D graphical representations in the virtual environments. With the help of the associated tools, AML also facilitates to create and share 3D avatar animations quickly and easily. We also discuss how the language has been developed and used within the SoNG project framework. The tools developed to use AML in a real-time animation system incorporating intelligent agents and 3D avatars are also discussed subsequently.Item SOME USEFUL BUT RATHER UNUSUAL GRAPHICAL PRIMITIVES(The Eurographics Association, 1981) Magnenat-Thalmann, Nadia; Thalmann, Daniel; Bergeron, Philippe; J. L. EncarnacaoThe MIRALIB library is a powerful graphical library which may be used with MIRA-2D, a graphical PASCAL extension as well as with the standard PASCAL language. MIRALIB includes figure algebra routines, figure measure functions, figure recognition predicates, image transformations as fitting or clearing and animation primitives. The most unusual primitives are presented with the help of a few examples.Item The Use of Finite Element Theory for Simulating Object and Human Body Deformations and Contacts(Eurographics Association, 1989) Gourret, Jean-Paul; Magnenat-Thalmann, Nadia; Thalmann, DanielThis paper presents a method for combining image synthesis and modeling based on a finite element method (FEM) to get realistic intelligent images. FEM is used for modeling both elastically and plastically deformations of objects, and impacts with or without penetration between deformable objects. The concept of deformable objects is applied to human flesh to improve the behavior of synthetic human grasping and walking. The paper also discusses the introduction of this method in an animation system based on the concept of "intelligent" synthetic actors with automatic motion control performed using A.I. and robotics techniques. In particular, motion is planned at a task level and computed using physical laws.Item Inhabited Virtual Heritage(Eurographics Association, 2001) Magnenat-Thalmann, Nadia; Chalmers, Alan; Thalmann, DanielTwo techniques depending on the interest – accuracy and precision of the obtained object model shapes, • CAD systems, medical application. – visual realism and speed for animation of the reconstructed models, • internet applications • Virtual Reality applications.Item Modeling Dynamic Hair as a Continuum(Blackwell Publishers Ltd and the Eurographics Association, 2001) Hadap, Sunil; Magnenat-Thalmann, NadiaIn this paper we address the difficult problem of hair dynamics, particularly hair-hair and hair-air interactions. To model these interactions, we propose to consider hair volume as a continuum. Subsequently, we treat the interaction dynamics to be fluid dynamics. This proves to be a strong as well as viable approach for an otherwise very complex phenomenon. However, we retain the individual character of hair, which is vital to visually realistic rendering of hair animation. For that, we develop an elaborate model for stiffness and inertial dynamics of individual hair strand. Being a reduced coordinate formulation, the stiffness dynamics is numerically stable and fast. We then unify the continuum interaction dynamics and the individual hair's stiffness dynamics.Item Real-time Animation of Dressed Virtual Humans(Blackwell Publishers, Inc and the Eurographics Association, 2002) Cordier, Frederic; Magnenat-Thalmann, NadiaIn this paper, we describe a method for cloth animation in real-time. The algorithm works in a hybrid manner exploiting the merits of both the physical-based and geometric deformations. It makes use of predetermined conditions between the cloth and the body model, avoiding complex collision detection and physical deformations wherever possible. Garments are segmented into pieces that are simulated by various algorithms, depending on how they are laid on the body surface and whether they stick or flow on it. Tests show that the method is well suited to fully dressed virtual human models, achieving real-time performance compared to ordinary cloth-simulations.Item Generating Animatable 3D Virtual Humans from Photographs(Blackwell Publishers Ltd and the Eurographics Association, 2000) Lee, WonSook; Gu, Jin; Magnenat-Thalmann, NadiaWe present an easy, practical and efficient full body cloning methodology. This system utilizes photos taken from the front, side and back of a person in any given imaging environment without requiring a special background or a controlled illuminating condition. A seamless generic body specified in the VRML H-Anim 1.1 format is used to generate an individualized virtual human. The system is composed of two major components: face-cloning and body-cloning. The face-cloning component uses feature points on front and side images and then applies DFFD for shape modification. Next a fully automatic seamless texture mapping is generated for 360? coloring on a 3D polygonal model. The body-cloning component has two steps: (i feature points specification, which enables automatic silhouette detection in an arbitrary background (ii two-stage body modification by using feature points and body silhouette respectively. The final integrated human model has photo-realistic animatable face, hands, feet and body. The result can be visualized in any VRML compliant browser.Item Facial Modeling and Animation(Eurographics Association, 2002) Haber, Jörg; Magnenat-Thalmann, Nadia; Terzopoulos, Demetri; Vetter, Thomas; Blanz, Volker; Kähler, KoljaItem Tutorial on Inhabited Virtual Heritage(Eurographics Association, 2002) Magnenat-Thalmann, Nadia; Chalmers, Alan; Fua, Pascal; Thalmann, Daniel-Item The Problematics of Human Prototyping and Animation(Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the Eurographics Association, 1989) Magnenat-Thalmann, Nadia; Thalmann, DanielSeveral ideas and experiments are presented for the creation and realistic animation of three-dimensional scenes involving human beings conscious of their environment. The various approaches should allow the intelligent creation of human beings using prototypes and generate their animation based on mechanics, artificial intelligence and robotics. This paper discusses the problems involved in three major steps of the simulation of human beings: the creation of the human shapes, the motion of the human skeleton, and the deformation of the surfaces. Several examples are presented illustrating positional constraints, dynamics, behavioural animation and finite element theory.