Computer Animation: Algorithms and Techniques

Computer Animation: Algorithms and Techniques, Fourth Edition surveys computer algorithms and programming techniques for specifying and generating motion for graphical objects, that is, computer animation. It is primarily concerned with three-dimensional (3D) computer animation. In this edition, the most current techniques are covered along with the theory and high-level computation that have earned the book a reputation as the best technically oriented animation resource. As in previous editions, the book addresses practical issues, provides accessible techniques, and offers straightforward implementations.

• Describes the key mathematical and algorithmic foundations of animation that provide students with a deep understanding and control of techniques covered
• Includes a companion website with contemporary animation examples drawn from research and entertainment, sample animations, and example code
• Explains the algorithms used for path following, hierarchical kinematic modeling, rigid body dynamics, flocking behavior, particle systems, collision detection, and more

Dr. Andrew Hogue is an Associate Professor at Ontario Tech University within the Faculty of Business and Information Technology's Game Development and Entrepreneurship program. His research interests include the development and evaluation of game design techniques for education, stereoscopic visualization and virtual reality. He is currently interested in understanding how environmental, technology and design parameters affect the user experience in virtual reality. During his Master of Science studies at York University, he developed hardware and software for immersive virtual reality displays, as well as a variety of stereoscopic 3D applications to evaluate the effectiveness of head-tracking on user immersion. He has been the driving force behind the design and development of the Game Development Lab at Ontario Tech University, ensuring it has the latest emerging technology for undergraduate and graduate student training/research. Through his past involvement in the Immersive Visual environment project at York University, he has gained interests in psychophysics, stereoscopic 3D, and determining the factors for engagement and immersion in simulation. Dr. Hogue has supervised more than 40 undergraduates as summer research students and fourth-year Capstone projects, and five graduate (MSc/PhD) students. He has also been involved in securing more than $4 million in research funds for a variety of robotics and simulation projects. He has published more than 30 refereed journal and conference articles.

Rick Parent is a Professor Emeritus in the Computer Science and Engineering Department of Ohio State University (OSU). As a graduate student, Rick worked at the Computer Graphics Research Group (CGRG) at OSU under the direction of Charles Csuri. In 1977, he received his Ph.D. from the Computer and Information Science (CIS) Department, majoring in Artificial Intelligence. For the next three years, he worked at CGRG first as a Research Associate, and then as Associate Director. In 1980 he co-founded and was President of The Computer Animation Company. In 1985, he joined the faculty of the CIS Department (now the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, or CSE) at Ohio State. Rick's research interests include various aspects of computer animation with special focus on animation of the human figure.