3D hair design and key frame animation in real time

Abstract

Computer generated animations of humans, animals and all other kinds of objects have been studied extensively during the last two decades. The key for creating good animations has been to correctly imitate the behaviors of real objects and reflect these into computer generated images. With the rapid development of computer technology, creating realistic simulations has become possible, and the most striking components of these realistic animations happen to be the most dynamic (moving) parts; hair, in the case of human animations. With the development of high quality hair animations, the concern is not only creating physically correct animations, but also controlling these animations. An implementation of a key frame hair animation creation system, supported by a hair design tool, helping to model and animate hair easily, and provide these functionalities in real time is the aim of the proposed system. This work reviews several hair animation and sketching techniques, and proposes a system that provides a complete level of control (capable of controlling even the individual hair strands) of key frame animation and hair design in real time.