Physically-based animation of elastically deformable models

Abstract

Although kinematic modeling methods are adequate for describing the shapes of static objects, they are insufficient when it comes to producing realistic animation. Physically-based modeling remedies this problem by including forces, masses, strain energies, and other physical quantities. The behavior of physicallybased models is governed by the laws of rigid and nonrigid dynamics expressed through a set of equations of motion. In this thesis, we describe a system for the animation of deformable models. A spring force formulation for animating deformable models is also presented. The animation system uses the physicallybased modeling methods and the approaches from elasticity theory for animating the models. Three different formulations, namely the primal, hrjhrid, and the spring force formulations, are implemented so that the user could select the suitable one for an animation, considering the advantages and disadvantages of each formulation. Collision of the models with impenetrable obstacles and constraining model points to fixed positions iii space are implemented.