(Avatar Physics and Genetics)

6. Conclusion

The avatar system which I have described demonstrates an intensive software-oriented view towards modeling humans. It may seem "anti-art" to some readers, since it essentially eliminates the "traditional" character animator and 3D modeler from the process. But, this conclusion would be far from the truth. The belief is that the art is in the software, and is located in the details of how the physical laws, genetic parameters, and motion controllers are defined, such that human-like expres-sion and genetic variety emerge. Computer simulations allow us to speak a language akin to the dynamics of nature - involving the elements of time, physics, adaptive behavior, genetic inheritance, interaction, and communication. An avatar technology which is built upon these principles, and in which 3D rendering effectively expresses these underlying principles, has potential for generating continuous novelty and variety, as virtual worlds grow larger and more complex.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Dr. Will Harvey for his technical help and conceptual contribu-tions in designing avatars, and for supporting my research into new technologies. Thanks also goes to Ben Werther, Tim Nufire, and Amy Morris. Thanks also to Tom Melcher for his support. And finally, thanks to my wife, Nuala.

References

1. Badler, N., Barsky, B., Zeltzer, D. Making Them Move. Morgan Kaufmann, 1991.

2. Hodgins, Jessica. Simulating Human Motion, web site:
http://www.cc.gatech.edu/gvu/animation/Areas/humanMotion/humanMotion.html, Graphics, Visualization, and Usability Center, Georgia Institute of Technology, (3/2000)

3. Ratner, Peter., 3-D Human Modeling and Animation. John Wiley & Sons. 1998

4. Reynolds, Craig. Flocks, Herds, and Schools: A Distributed Behavioral Model. Computer Graphics, Vol 21, Number 4, July, 1987

5. Thalmann, Nadia, and Moccozet, Laurent. Virtual Humans on Stage. In Virtual Worlds (ed. Jean-Claude Heudin). Perseus Books, 1998. (pages 95-125)

6. Ventrella, J. Disney Meets Darwin - An Evolutionary-based Interface for Exploration and Design of Expressive Animated Behavior. MIT Master’s Thesis. MIT Press, 1994

7. Ventrella, Jeffrey. Darwin Pond, artificial life software, 1997. www.ventrella.com


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