Dynamically Simulated Characters in Virtual Environments

  • Dynamically Simulated Characters in Virtual Environments home page
  • Slides from our 1997 Siggraph Animation Sketch
  • More about our current virtual environment hardware setup

    • Movies

    [Border Collie Photo]
    [Border Collie Image] Border Collies such as these possess innate skills to move a flock of sheep. Notice how the dog stays back from the sheep while readjusting its angle of attack. Film courtesy of Evans Sumner.
    [mpeg 2.3M or
    QuickTime 3.3M]
    [User Herding Hoppers] We developed a virtual environment where the user plays the role of the Border Collie. The user rides a modified Tectrix bicycle to interact with a group of 15 simulated one-legged robots. The robots want to hop near one another, but hop away from the user. In this movie, the user is trying to herd the robot group into a corral.
    [mpeg 2.5M or
    QuickTime 3.6M]

    [Olympic Bike Race - 1996]
    [User Riding Bike Platform] A user can ride with simulated bicyclists along the streets of the 1996 Summer Olympic Race Course. The bike platform has an electric motor that tilts the platform +/- 12 degrees. The user can steer the bicycle +/- 20 degrees. A CompuTrainer Pro applies a load on the rear wheel to simulate hills.
    [mpeg 1.6M or
    QuickTime 2.5M]
    [Bicyclists This rear view shows the group of bicyclists anticipate and successfully navigate a tight corner.
    [mpeg 1.4M or
    QuickTime 2.0M]
    [User riding with bicyclists] This clip shows a user riding with a group of simulated bicyclists. The platform tilts to match the slope of the terrain and the rear wheel becomes harder to pedal as well.
    [mpeg 1.8M or
    QuickTime 2.4M]
    [Bicyclists going around corner] This movie demonstrates the realistic elevation modeling of the 1996 Olympic road race course.
    [mpeg 1.7M or
    QuickTime 2.4M]
    Long clip of bicyclists] This side view shows the bicyclists along a straightaway and the surrounding environment.
    [mpeg 1.6M or
    QuickTime 2.3M]
    [Clip of active bicyclist] The blue bicyclist makes a move for an open spot.
    [mpeg 1.0M or
    QuickTime 1.4M]