Model-based reconstruction for creature animation

Abstract

An semi-automatic technique for creating 3D models of creatures suitable for animation is presented. An anatomically based canonical model is deformed, given a sparse set of feature points derived from measurements describing the target animal. The layered canonical model is built on top of an articulated structure hierarchy and contains a representation of the animal's skeleton, muscles, and skin. The joint hierarchy and associated body components are transformed based on the input data. A denser set of feature points is then automatically generated from the new underlying structural components. The feature points are used to deform the attached mesh skin representation, using a segmented interpolation approach. Results are shown using measurements from a scale model and from a live horse. Our main contributions are (1) a novel approach for automatically reconstructing complete jointed creatures from an anatomically based canonical model of similar structure; and (2) an integrated application of skin interpolation for both morphing and animation. In this research, we have addressed the problem in the context of modeling and animating horses; however, the general techniques that we have developed could be applied to a wide range of creatures, at the cost of constructing a canonical model for each creature type.