Interactive Control of Physically-Based Animation

This page links to and describes QuickTime movies of animations created using the techniques described in the SIGGRAPH2000 paper entitled "Interactive Control for Physically-Based Animation". Unfortunately, due to an error, these movies did not make it onto the SIGGRAPH2000 Proceedings CD-ROM.

The animations below were generated interactively via mouse and/or keyboard input by mapping the user/animator/player's inputs onto the muscular actions of various physically simulated characters. The animations in the first section illustrate the wide range of motions that can be generated in this manner. The animations in the second section illustrate the various mappings from mouse and keyboard to the basic movements used to control the character. For details, see the paper.

Examples of Interactively Controlled Motion Sequences

The following animations are examples of different interactively generated motion sequences. They were generated without interruption except where noted by indicating a number of "checkpoints" (see paper). The biped in all sequences but the long jump is approximately anthropomorphic but with significantly higher strength in some climbing and swinging modes. The long jumping biped is significantly smaller and lighter (~1m tall).

	A hopping lamp performing a sequence of back headsprings followed by a somersault. Approximately 5 checkpoints were used throughout the motion.
	Another continuous mouse control sequence for a lamp hopping over rough terrain and down a ski jump (Figure 3 in paper).
	Cat bounding over varying terrain. 12 checkpoints were used throughout the sequence.
	Bipedal walking.
	Biped running and long jumping. One checkpoint was used a step before takeoff with many attempts from that point.
	Biped doing giant swings on a high bar (not shown) followed by a double-layout dismount.
	Biped doing a gymnastic kip through standing position to front support.
	A back flip off a wall.
	Interactive control of a biped climbing and swinging. A single checkpoint was used at the top of the building for convenience.
	Key-controlled fall and recovery (and fall).
	Biped climbing a ladder with key-controlled inverse kinematics.
	Biped swinging across uneven monkey bars with key-controlled inverse kinematics.

Interactive Control Modes

The following animations illustrate the different interactive control modes used to animate the various characters. Except where playback is explicitly noted, the sequences were generated by the animator as the video was captured.

	Continuous mouse controls for a hopping lamp.
	Continuous control sequence over rough terrain and down a ski jump.
	Basic suite of key controlled pose sequences, invoked twice each (key presses highlighted on keyboard).
	Key controlled hopping over rough terrain.
	Key selected poses for a bounding cat.
	Interactive control of a bounding sequence.
	Playback of the same bounding sequence.
	Continuous mouse controls for a trotting cat.
	Playback of a trotting sequence.
	Hybrid (continuous/discrete) control for a 10-link biped.
	Key-selected continuous climbing control modes. No efforts have been made to achieve smooth transitions between modes.
	Climbing example - using a continuous climbing mode with key-driven grasping.