Keyframe Animation

Week 8
Subject: Virtual Reality and Examples When: June 14th Where: Design Systems Lab. (Vertigo 9.16)

Animation
History of cartoon and computer animation Extensive description of techniques and algorithms Rick Parent Computer Animation, Algorithms and Techniques www.cis.ohio-state.edu/~parent/book/outline.html How to make an animation Examples www.pixar.com
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Animation
Animation To give live to Make objects change over time according to scripted actions By showing a sequence of fast changing images Series images (frames) Film 24 fps Video 30 fps => 1 hour animation 108000 frames

What can be animated?

Position and orientation of objects Geometry (shape) and scaling of objects Illumination Reflection Camera

In fact, everything!

Animation process - traditional

Storyboard The story Sequence of images with descriptions Key frames Draw a number of important images (key frames) Motion-based description Inbetweens Draw the rest of the frames Painting Redraw frames onto cels Color them in Put animation onto film
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Computer animation
Computer animation pipeline 3D modeling Motion specification Key framing Motion simulation Rendering Post-processing

Keyframe animation
Each keyframe specified by a number of key-parameters (state) Inbetweening: Interpolate these parameters

Keyframe animation
For each key parameter, specify value at important frames Computer creates path for each parameter by interpolating this key parameter for inbetween frames

Interpolation
Linear interpolation Usually discontinuities Not a smooth movement

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Interpolation
Spline interpolation Smooth transitions Beware of unwanted side effects

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Interpolation speed control

Include velocity of interpolation It is often more realistic to start a movement slowly, then speed up, and end it again slowly Use speed curve Speed curve relates time with position on interpolation spline Position on interpolation spline determines interpolated key parameter value

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Interpolation speed control

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Keyframing summarized
Specification of key frames/parameters Determine key parameters and their values at certain important points in time Specify type of interpolation Specify speed curve for interpolation Computer generates inbetween frames

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Animation of articulated structures

Articulated structure: Object consists of a number of (sub-)objects (links) connected by joints Each joint is specified by at least one (key-)parameter Movement of object described by changing parameter values

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Examples of joints

Constraints on joints

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Articulated structure
Skeleton consists of 14 joints Each joint has 2 or 3 degrees of freedom Some parameters constrained

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Kinematics
Kinematics is the study of movement of (hierarchical) objects Position, orientation, velocity, acceleration Without taking into account dynamic properties (forces) (dynamics) Forward kinematics Inverse kinematics

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Forward kinematics
Animator sets parameter values for joints Computer computes positions/orientations for links links:

X f (1 , 2 )

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Forward kinematics
Animation by specification / interpolation of joint parameters

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Forward kinematics

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Forward kinematics

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Forward kinematics

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Kinematics
What to do when animation knows the desired endposition of the (sub-)object? E.g. to grab something?

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Inverse kinematics
Animator specifies position (and orientation) within scene at wich link (end-effector) has to be positioned Computer computes joint parameter values to get link at desired position:

1 , 2 f 1 ( X)
After that. computer computes positions of all links by applying these joint parameter values for all joints

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Inverse kinematics

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Inverse kinematics
Animation by specification / interpolation of end-effector position

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Or animation by interpolation of joint parameter values at start and end frame
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Inverse kinematics
Problems Often more than one solution Extra requirements to solution Result not always desired path (e.g. collisions) What to do when end-effector position specified outside operation area of object?

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Inverse kinematics
Inverse kinematics is also used to compute dependency of joint parameter values E.g. for object with closed loops

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Kinematics summarized
Forward kinematics Animator controls through joint parameters Direct control over object state Often many parameters to control Inverse kinematics Animator controls through position/orientation endeffector Simpler specification of movements Less parameters Better feeling for positions in scene Complex computations
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