GI2016

CHCSS Achievement Award Talk
Session Chair: Marilyn Tremaine

Skilled Simulated Human and Animals: Almost there! — Michiel van de Panne (University of British Columbia)

Modeling human and animal movement remains a challenge for all applications of computer animation, including training simulations, virtual reality, games, and film. The common fall-back solutions still use motion-capture, keyframing, and carefully-crafted procedures to stitch motion clips together. We need to do much better: solutions should be principled, scalable, and generate motions that are indistinguishable from reality. As a significant step in this direction, I'll explain some of the most recent physics-based models of movement and showcase their capabilities.

I'll also describe open problems and a number of "grand challenges" that could help drive progress in this area in the coming years. Lastly, I'll philosophise a bit about the ever-growing complexity of scientific models and what it means to "understand" them.