UCLA Adds Physics to Prat-falls

BaltoAaron writes "CNN.com is reporting on Petros Faloutsos , a UCLA scientist, that has developed a program that creates animation based almost solely on physics. Faloutsos "believes his animation program will one day allow virtual stunt artists to replace their flesh-and-blood counterparts in performing otherwise deadly feats of derring-do." "It's the Holy Grail of character animation. Everybody wants to do it, but there's not a whole lot of it out there right now.""

Comments

I don't get it-- this is OLD NEWS

[VValdo]

"Inverse kinimatics" was added to such modeling/rendering programs as SoftImage back in the early 90s. You could "drop" stuff and have it bounce around or blow in the wind or act like jello or whatever. Yes, even fall down stairs.

You just create your model and connect the "bones" (fundimental objects that move) via articulated joints that could swivel in any direction you specify. Then determine what forces are acting on it (gravity or wind for example) and stuff like how the objects interact (do they bounce? or stick?) and then just hit "play" and off it goes...

What's the big deal here?