Interactive Thin Shells – A Model Interface for the Analysis of Physically-Based Animation
James Skorupski, Zoë J. Wood, Alex Pang · DigitalCommons - CalPoly (California State Polytechnic University) · 2007
Figure 1- Simultaneous Experiments. A pseudo-colored hollow cloth bowl with three pinned vertices is simulated collapsing under the force of gravity. Each image depicts the same moment in time for the same mesh, with decreasing membrane and bending energy constants, from left to right. Realism has always been a goal in computer graphics. However, the algorithms involved in mimicking the physical world are often complex, abstract, and sensitive to changes in experimental parameters. We present an interface to a physically-based algorithm, a thin shell animation, which focuses on visualization, experimentation, and control. Through the use of dynamic surface coloring, abstract visual cues, robust user interaction, and full control over the algorithm parameters, our system facilitates experimentation and the process of discovery. The system is targeted at enhancing the user’s learning experience by clarifying interactions between various components of many physically-based animations. 1