Panel Statement
Panel: Serious Animation: Beyond Art and Entertainment
The majority of cloth simulation algorithms and software applications in computer graphics are designed to support virtual garment creation for animated characters or visual effects (e.g superhero capes). In these cases the primary objective is for the simulated garment to support the performance of the actor. The cloth is directed by the animator to behave in a manner that is believable rather than accurate. Accuracy (or fidelity) is not the primary goal; a solution that is simply plausible is usually good enough for entertainment. For our purposes we need to virtually prototype garments with a high level of motion fidelity. The MoCCA project investigates the re-tasking of digital cloth simulation for purposes beyond entertainment. We are simulating applications where garments are employed to support the deployment of a range of wearable technologies (e.g. search and rescue, criminal investigation, etc) In these cases it is useful to be able to accurately predict the behaviour of various materials in a range of environments and scenarios.
- Dr. Chris Rowland is Head of Animation at DJCAD and leads the 3D Visualisation Research Lab. His research interests are centred around exploiting animatin methodology to investigate real world problems. His collaborative projects include the visualisation of historic and environmentally significant shipwrecks on the seabed from multibeam sonar data . Projects have included the visualisation of sunken Russian Nuclear submarines in the Arctic Circle. Recently visualising the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, which lies a mile beneath the sea in the Gulf of Mexico after causing the biggest oil spill in US history in April 2010.