IMPS : implicit surfaces for interactive animated characters

Abstract

Implicit surface modeling in computer graphics is a powerful technique for representing smooth and organic shapes. Skeletal elements of an implicit surface blend to create a smooth, seamless skin which exhibits desired properties for animation such as squash and stretch. Because of their high computational cost to render, implicit surfaces have not been used extensively in the real-time graphics domain. This thesis discusses the problems and some solutions in the application of implicit surfaces to the domain of interactive character animation. A design process for an implicit surface-based character is proposed, from the modeling and texturing stages to animation and rendering.