System and method for multi-dimensional motion interpolation using verbs and adverbs

摘要

A system for providing improved computer animation can be used in interactive applications such as 3D video games and virtual environments. Tie system comprises an offline authoring system with tools for constructing controllable “verbs” from sets of motion example segments, and for constructing transitions between different verbs; and a runtime system for controlling the invocation of the verbs as parameterized by user defined “adverbs”. The system involves interpolating predefined animation segments created by an animator or through motion capture video. The animation segments are made up of data representing selected points on the animated creature (e.g., the joints and extremities) and values, as a function of time, for each degree of freedom of those points. In addition, a “verb graph” is constructed to act as the glue to assemble verbs and their adverbs into a runtime data structure. The verb graph defines the allowable transitions from one verb to another verb. A set of “keytimes” is also defined. The keytimes are instances when important structural events occur, and are used to pre-process the motion examples into a synchronized (canonical) time frame for interpolation.