16000094
On-line motion blending for real-time locomotion generation
In this paper, we present an integrated framework of on-line motion blending for locomotion generation. We first provide a novel scheme for incremental timewarping, which always guarantees that the time goes forward. Combining the idea of motion blending with that of posture rearrangement, we introduce a motion transition graph to address on-line motion blending and transition simultaneously. Guided by a stream of motion specifications, our motion synthesis scheme moves from node to node in an on-line manner while blending a motion at a node and generating a transition motion at an edge. For smooth on-line motion transition, we also attach a set of example transition motions to an edge. To represent similar postures consistently, we exploit the inter-frame coherency embedded in the input motion specification. Finally, we provide a comprehensive solution to on-line motion retargeting by integrating existing techniques. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
13915681
Capturing and animating skin deformation in human motion
During dynamic activities, the surface of the human body moves in many subtle but visually significant ways: bending, bulging, jiggling, and stretching. We present a technique for capturing and animating those motions using a commercial motion capture system and approximately 350 markers. Although the number of markers is significantly larger than that used in conventional motion capture, it is only a sparse representation of the true shape of the body. We supplement this sparse sample with a detailed, actor-specific surface model. The motion of the skin can then be computed by segmenting the markers into the motion of a set of rigid parts and a residual deformation (approximated first as a quadratic transformation and then with radial basis functions). We demonstrate the power of this approach by capturing flexing muscles, high frequency motions, and abrupt decelerations on several actors. We compare these results both to conventional motion capture and skinning and to synchronized video of the actors.
17481727
Strain analysis and visualization: left ventricle of a heart
Abstract Clinical utility of computational models is crucial in the applications of medical data visualization. Previously we have developed a new class of volumetric models whose parameters are functions in conjunction with physically based deformable modeling framework, and have applied the technique to estimate the left ventricular (LV) wall motion. We have successfully showed that the model parameter functions characterize the LV motion of normal and abnormal states and that no further non-trivial post-processing is required for anatomically meaningful interpretation. In an effort to evaluate the LV model, this paper presents a method and results from a strain analysis based on the nodal displacements of the deformable LV model. Furthermore, in order to visualize the local quantities on the volumetric model for an effective analysis, we also developed a methodology to assist in assessing the cardiac function utilizing principal strains, Von-Mises’ yield criteria, and a smoothing filter. Each strain tensor component was in the range of values observed in other reported studies. The application of a smoothing filter on the model improved in visualizing the overall trend of each strain variation. With our platform for a comprehensive strain analysis, we have augmented a clinical utility to the deformable models with parameter functions.
6353910
Rhythmic-motion synthesis based on motion-beat analysis
Real-time animation of human-like characters is an active research area in computer graphics. The conventional approaches have, however, hardly dealt with the rhythmic patterns of motions, which are essential in handling rhythmic motions such as dancing and locomotive motions. In this paper, we present a novel scheme for synthesizing a new motion from unlabelled example motions while preserving their rhythmic pattern. Our scheme first captures the motion beats from the example motions to extract the basic movements and their transitions. Based on those data, our scheme then constructs a movement transition graph that represents the example motions. Given an input sound signal, our scheme finally synthesizes a novel motion in an on-line manner while traversing the motion transition graph, which is synchronized with the input sound signal and also satisfies kinematic constraints given explicitly and implicitly. Through experiments, we have demonstrated that our scheme can effectively produce a variety of rhythmic motions.
34356748
Model-Based Human Motion Capture from Monocular Video Sequences
Generating motion and capturing motion of an articulated body for computer animation is an expensive and time-consuming task. Conventionally, animators manually generate intermediate frames between key frames, but this task is very labor-intensive. This paper presents a model-based singularity-free automatic-initialization approach to capturing human motion from widely-available, static background monocular video sequences. A 3D human body model is built and projected on a 2D projection plane to find the best fit with the foreground image silhouette. We convert the human motion capture problem into two types of parameter optimization problems: static optimization and dynamic optimization. First, we determine each model body configuration using static optimizations for every input image. Then, to obtain better description of motion, the results from all static optimizations are fed into a dynamic optimization process where the entire sequence of motion is considered for the user-specified motion. The user-specified motion is defined by the user and the final form of the motion they want. A cost function for static optimization is used to estimate the degree of overlapping between the foreground input image silhouette and a projected 3D model body silhouette. The overlapping is computed using computational geometry by converting a set of pixels from the image domain to a polygon in the real projection plane domain. A cost function for dynamic optimization is the user-specified motion based on the static optimization results as well as image fitting. Our method is used to capture various human motions: walking, pushing, kicking, and handshaking.
16093001
Textiles and computing: background and opportunities for convergence
John Kay's invention of the flying shuttle in 1733 sparked the first Industrial Revolution, which led to the transformation of industry and subsequently of civilization itself. Yet another invention in the field of textiles - the Jacquard head by Joseph Marie Jacquard (circa 1801) - was the first binary information processor. At any given point, the thread in a woven fabric can be in one of two states or positions: on the face of the fabric or on the back. Pattern cards were punched or cut according to the required fabric design. A hole in the card signified that the thread would appear on the face of the fabric, while a blank meant that the end would be left down and appear on the back of the fabric. The Jacquard head was used on the weaving loom or machine for raising and lowering the warp threads to form desired patterns based on the lifting plan or program embedded in the cards. Thus the Jacquard mechanism set the stage for modern day binary information processing. Ada Lovelace, the benefactor for Charles Babbage who worked on the Analytical Engine (the predecessor to the modern day computer), is said to have remarked, "The Analytical Engine weaves algebraic patterns just as the Jacquard loom weaves flowers and leaves." The Jacquard mechanism that inspired Babbage and spawned the Hollerith punched card has been instrumental in bringing about one of the most profound technological advancements known to humans, viz., the second Industrial Revolution also known as the Information Processing Revolution [1]. In fact, when Intel introduced its Pentium class of microprocessors, one of the advertisements had a "fabric of chips" emerging from a weaving machine; this picture eloquently captured the essence of chip making - a true blending of art and science - much like the design and production of textiles.
206588088
A Practical Tool for Detecting Races in OpenMP Programs
Detecting data races or just races is important for debugging OpenMP programs, because races result in unintended nondeterministic executions of the program. The previous tool to detect the races in OpenMP programs monitors a serial execution of the program, but unfortunately cannot guarantee to verify the existence of races even in the programs only with the directives. This paper presents a practical tool which monitors a parallel execution of standard OpenMP program, and not only verifies the existence of races but also detects first races for each shared variable in the programs.
195862521
The wearable motherboard: a framework for personalized mobile information processing (PMIP)
Textiles and computing share a synergistic relationship, which is being harnessed to create a new paradigm in personalized mobile information processing (PMIP). In this paper, we provide an overview of this "interconnection" between the two fields and present the vision for "E-Textiles," which represents the convergence of the two fields. We discuss the role of the Georgia Tech Wearable Motherboard in pioneering this paradigm of "fabric is the computer" and serving as a framework for PMIP. Finally, recent research in this area resulting in the realization of a "computational fabric network" is discussed.
9375021
Dynamic Data Grid Replication Strategy Based on Internet Hierarchy
In data grid, large quantity of data files is produced and data replication is applied to reduce data access time. Efficiently utilizing grid resources becomes important research issue since available resources in grid are limited while large number of workloads and large size of data files are produced. Dynamic replication in data grid aims to reduce data access time and to utilize network and storage resources efficiently. This paper proposes a novel dynamic replication strategy, called BHR, which reduces data access time by avoiding network congestions in a data grid network. With BHR strategy, we can take benefits from ‘network-level locality’ which represents that required file is located in the site which has broad bandwidth to the site of job execution. We evaluate BHR strategy by implementing it in an OptorSim, a data grid simulator initially developed by European Data Grid Projects. The simulation results show that BHR strategy can outperform other optimization techniques in terms of data access time when hierarchy of bandwidth appears in Internet. BHR extends current site-level replica optimization study to the network-level.