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Animating Human Athletics
Jessica K. Hodgins, Wayne L. Wooten, David C. Brogan, James F. O'Brien
Physics-based simulation of human athletic activities including running, jumping, and gymnastics with reactive balance control.
Abstract
This paper describes algorithms for the animation of male and female models performing three dynamic athletic behaviors: running, bicycling, and vaulting. We animate these behaviors using control algorithms that cause a physically realistic model to perform the desired maneuver. For example, control algorithms allow the simulated humans to maintain balance while moving their arms, to run or bicycle at a variety of speeds, and to perform two vaults. For each simulation, we compare the computed motion to that of humans performing similar maneuvers. We perform the comparison both qualitatively through real and simulated video images and quantitatively through simulated and biomechanical data.
How to read this
- Category
- Method: control algorithms for physics-based human motion
- Contributions
- Control algorithms that drive a physically realistic human model through running, bicycling, and vaulting
- Reactive balance and limb control that hold balance across a range of speeds and maneuvers
- Validation comparing simulated motion to real humans both qualitatively (video) and quantitatively (biomechanical data)
- Context
- A foundational work in physics-based character animation for athletic, dynamic motion, predating and motivating later data-driven and learned-control approaches.
- Correctness
- Results are demonstrated on three specific athletic behaviors with hand-built controllers and compared to human data; controllers are behavior-specific, so a reader should not assume the approach generalizes automatically to arbitrary motions.
- Clarity
- Readable with biomechanics flavor; a first pass conveys the approach, a second pass pays off for the per-behavior control structure.
- How to read it
- First pass for the control-algorithm framing and the validation method; second pass if you want the specifics of balance control and how each athletic behavior is controlled.
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