ylkingsbury@watdragon.waterloo.edu (Yvonne Kingsbury) (03/30/89)
Special ITRC/ICR Seminar by Mr. Graham Walters of Pacific Data Images, Sunnyvale, California ABSTRACT This talk will describe a computer animation system which combines interactive computer puppetry with a standard spline-based animation system, and a pseudo-dynamic simulation technique called Goop. Interactive computer puppetry allows a character to appear on the screen and interact with other characters which are performing simultaneously. This taps the vitality and spontaneity of live performance. Goop is a simplified dynamics formulation which is easy to implement and easy to use. It represents the first practical application of dynamics to large scale animation production. The system as described has been used successfully to produce several minutes of animation for a weekly television series. In the summer of 1988, Jim Henson Productions approached Pacific Data Images with the idea of producing a computer generated character for the weekly television series, "The Jim Henson Hour". From the beginning it was established that the character, Waldo, needed to be controlled by a Henson puppeteer so that it could interact convincingly with other puppets, and that Waldo was to have flexible body parts. To make this possible, an animation system was developed which consists of an interactive puppetry front end, a standard spline-based animation environment and, a pseudo-dynamic post filter. The speaker will be available after the talk to discuss employment opportunities at PDI. DATE: Tuesday, April 4, 1989 TIME: 2:30 p.m. PLACE: DC 1350 Everyone is welcome.