COURSE DESCRIPTION
 
Department:  Computer Science

Course Number: 4732
                       
Course Coordinator: Matthew Ward

Course Title: Computer Animation
            
Total Credits: 1/3 unit
 
Current Catalog Description:

This course provides an in-depth examination of the algorithms, data
structures, and techniques used in modeling and rendering dynamic
scenes. Topics include animation hardware and software, parametric
blending techniques, modeling physical and articulated objects,
forward and inverse kinematics, key-frame, procedural, and behavioral
animation, and free-form deformation.

Students will be expected to develop programs to implement low-level
animation algorithms as well as use commercial animation tools to
design and produce small to moderate sized animations.

Intended audience: computer science majors.
 

Textbook: Computer Animation: Algorithms and Techniques, by Rick
          Parent, Morgan Kaufman Publishers, 2002

 
References: http://www.cs.wpi.edu/~matt/courses/cs4732     

 
Course Goals:           

The goal of CS 4732 is to provide the students with knowledge of how
3-dimensional computer animations are created, from the modeling of
rigid and non-rigid objects to the control of their position,
orientation, size, shape, and surface properties.  The students will
gain experience in using both a 3-D graphics library and one or more
commercial animation packages, and implement several of the key
algorithms found in computer animation.

 
Prerequisites by Topic:     

CS 4731. Additional recommended background is Linear Algebra (MA 2071)
and Algorithms (CS 2223).


 
Major Topics Covered in the Course:     
                                       
Traditional vs. Computer Animation	1 hour 
History of Computer Animation		2 hours
Low Level Motion Specification		4 hours
Articulated Motion			4 hours
Surface Effects				4 hours
Soft Object Animation			2 hours
Free Form Deformation			2 hours
Procedural and Behavioral Animation	4 hours 
Analyzing Commercial Animations		3 hours


Laboratory projects:          
                             
Project 1: (1 week) Create a multi-component object and animate two or
more distinct components using the software you developed in CS4732.
Any attribute, such as position, orientation, shape, size, or color
can be animated.

Project 2: (1 week) Create a multi-component 3D cartoon character with
a diverse range of material properties using 3D Studio Max.

Project 3: (1 week) Create a flying logo to advertise a real or
fictitious company using 3D Studio. The logo itself can be 3-D text or
an object, and it must ``fly'' around a scene of multiple objects
(static or dynamic) of your choice. The path chosen must be curved,
and the speed of the logo must vary (e.g., ease-in, ease-out). The
logo should also do at least one complete flip (think of it as
compulsory athletic exercises).

Project 4: (2 weeks) Create a program using the software you developed
in CS4731 that demonstrates articulated motion, i.e., component motion
that is relative to the position and movement of another
component. Either inverse (preferable) or forward kinematics may be
employed.

Project 5: (2 weeks) Design and implement an ad for some real or
fictitious product using 3D Studio. It should last at least 30 seconds
and include the following ``compulsory'' effects: inverse kinematics,
free-form deformations, material changes, lofted objects, and two or
more distinct camera shots. The objects involved in these effects must
be of your own creation, but you may feel free to use commercially
made or public domain models to augment your animation.


Estimate CSAB Category Content:  

 
                      CORE       ADVANCED
                 ---------------------------------                  
  Data
  Structures          .          .
  
  Algorithms          .          2
                                                               
  Software 
  Design              .          1

  Computer
  Organization and
  Architecture        .          .
                     
  Concepts of
  Programming
  Languages           .          .       
                                  
  Foundations         .          .

  Other               .          .


     
Oral and Written Communications:
 
No assignments involve oral or written communications, other than
exams, commented programs, and instructions for executing projects. 

 
Social and Ethical Issues:
 
No class time is spent on topics that address the social and ethical
implications of computing.
 

Theoretical Content:
 
Approximately 1 hour is spent over the term discussing algorithm 
complexity.  No other topics in computer science theory are discussed.

 
Problem Analysis:
 
Every student must analyze alternative algorithms for both modeling
articulated objects and animating them.  They must also analyze the
requirements for the animation sequence and ascertain scenarios that
might satisfy these requirements.

 
Solution Design:
 
Every student must design both objects to be animated as well as the
specific parameters of the animation of each component of the scene.
For the kinematics homework, each student must design the data
structures and algorithms to make the articulated model perform a
desired task.
 


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