This thesis researches techniques for modelling static facial expressions, as well as the dynamics of continuous facial motion. We demonstrate how static and dynamic properties of facial expressions can be represented within a linear and nonlinear context, respectively. These two representations do not act in isolation, but are mutually reinforcing in conceding a cohesive framework for the analysis, animation, and manipulation of expressive faces. We derive a basis for the linear space of expressions through Principal Components Analysis (PCA). We introduce and formalize the notion of "expression manifolds", manifolds residing in PCA space that model motion dynamics for semantically similar expressions. We then integrate these manifolds into an animation workflow by performing Nonlinear Dimensionality Reduction (NLDR) on the expression manifolds. This operation yields expression maps that encode a wealth of information relating to complex facial dynamics, in a low dimensional space that is intuitive to navigate and efficient to manage.

This thesis researches techniques for modelling static facial expressions, as well as the dynamics of continuous facial motion. We demonstrate how static and dynamic properties of facial expressions can be represented within a linear and nonlinear context, respectively. These two representations do not act in isolation, but are mutually reinforcing in conceding a cohesive framework for the analysis, animation, and manipulation of expressive faces. We derive a basis for the linear space of expressions through Principal Components Analysis (PCA). We introduce and formalize the notion of "expression manifolds", manifolds residing in PCA space that model motion dynamics for semantically similar expressions. We then integrate these manifolds into an animation workflow by performing Nonlinear Dimensionality Reduction (NLDR) on the expression manifolds. This operation yields expression maps that encode a wealth of information relating to complex facial dynamics, in a low dimensional space that is intuitive to navigate and efficient to manage.

Gerenderte Animation von kinematisch gekoppelten Komponenten mit Pro/ENGINEER bzw. Creo zur Produktpräsentation oder auch Montageanleitung

Facial animations capable of articulating accurate movements in synchrony with a speech track have become a subject of much research during the past decade. Most of these efforts have focused on articulation of lip and tongue movements, since these are the primary sources of information in speech reading. However, a wealth of paralinguistic information is implicitly conveyed through visual prosody (e.g., head and eyebrow movements). In contrast with lip/tongue movements, however, for which the articulation rules are fairly well known (i.e., viseme-phoneme mappings, coarticulation), little is known about the generation of visual prosody. The objective of this thesis is to explore the perceptual contributions of visual prosody in speech-driven facial avatars. Our main hypothesis is that visual prosody driven by acoustics of the speech signal, as opposed to random or no visual prosody, results in more realistic, coherent and convincing facial animations. To test this hypothesis, we have developed an audio-visual system capable of capturing synchronized speech and facial motion from a speaker using infrared illumination and retro-reflective markers. In order to elicit natural visual prosody, a story-telling experiment was designed in which the actors were shown a short cartoon video, and subsequently asked to narrate the episode. From this audio-visual data, four different facial animations were generated, articulating no visual prosody, Perlin-noise, speech-driven movements, and ground truth movements. Speech-driven movements were driven by acoustic features of the speech signal (e.g., fundamental frequency and energy) using rule-based heuristics and autoregressive models. A pair-wise perceptual evaluation shows that subjects can clearly discriminate among the four visual prosody animations. It also shows that speech-driven movements and Perlin-noise, in that order, approach the performance of veridical motion. The results are quite promising and suggest that speech-driven motion could outperform Perlin-noise if more powerful motion prediction models are used. In addition, our results also show that exaggeration can bias the viewer to perceive a computer generated character to be more realistic motion-wise.

Modern technology and computer science is spreading and developing very fast. The use and facilities evolve too. One of the fields where computer science is widely used – computer games. Computer animation makes games more interactive and attractive to the user. The purpose of this project was to review and analyze the animation techniques used in modern games development. Review file formats witch are used in computer games to store game objects and animation data. Try to point out the strengths and weaknesses of animation techniques. Main attention was committed to skeletal and key frame animation. Implement skeletal and key frame animation techniques.

Satire is a form of humor used to criticize society and ridicule those who govern through irony, exaggeration and humor. What separates satire from other forms of social and political protest is that it uses humor to change human behavior. With our study, we ask ourselves if satire can be used to spread information and knowledge via animated entertainment shows such as The Simpsons.   Our main research question is: Can the audiences of The Simpsons understand messages within the show’s entertainment context through its use of satire? To help us answer this we also have secondary inquiries such as: Is the satire within The Simpsons comprehended by its audiences? And, Is animation an appropriate method to engage information at hand?   The main purpose of this study is that we are curious if you can more easily become aware of new information and serious matters through the combined use of humor and entertainment. We have chosen The Simpsons to focus on because they were the show that started a new genre of animated satirical comedy on TV. This genre is in today's television society very popular and as a result has created new satirical hit shows as Family Guy and South Park. Moreover we also reasoned that it is possible to make use of an American TV series in a Swedish study, since the world is now very connected, so influences and products move between land borders with relative ease, such as between the U.S.A and Sweden.   We have based our theoretical framework around different types of genres that together with satire can help form an idea regarding if The Simpsons uses its perceived satire to possibly spread information and knowledge. As a use of method we have in this study chosen focus group interviews.  The groups are to view a selected episode of The Simpsons, and then discuss aspects of the program. Using these focus groups, we want to distinguish The Simpsons use of satire and if it is effective in spreading information and knowledge.   With our research, we concluded that there are different views on the use of animation to spread knowledge and information. One side argues the fact that the animated form is effective since restrictions are few. There are some who claim that animation can result in diluting the impact of satire. Participants in the focus groups clearly saw the episode 's message and theme and many of the satirical references. Ultimately the use of satirical humor to spread knowledge and information can to some degree be claimed to be an effective way to reach out to the audience with messages and opinions. / Satir är en form av humor som används för att kritisera samhället och förlöjliga de som styr genom ironi, överdrifter och humor. Det som skiljer satir från andra former av social och politisk protest är att den använder sig av just humor för att ändra mänskligt beteende. Med vår studie frågar vi oss om man kan använda satir för att sprida information och kunskap via ett animerat underhållningsprogram som The Simpsons.   Vår huvudfrågeställning är: Kan publiken av The Simpsons ta åt sig information och kunskap inom programmets underhållningskontext samt via dess användning av satir? För att få svar på detta har vi också använt oss av sekundära frågor såsom: uppfattar och/eller uppskattar personer som tittar på The Simpsons satir? Är animation en lämplig eller olämplig metod för att ta åt sig information?   Huvudsyftet med denna studie är att vi är nyfikna på om man enklare kan ta åt sig information och allvarliga ämnen i kombination med humor och underhållning. Vi har valt The Simpsons som undersökningsobjekt eftersom de var dem som startade en ny genre av animerad satirisk komedi på TV. Denna genre är i dagens TV-samhälle väldigt populär och det har skapats nya satiriska succéprogram som Family Guy och South Park som följd av detta. Vi har också motiverat att det går att använda oss av en Amerikansk Tv-serie i en svensk studie eftersom världen är nu väldigt sammankopplad och influenser och produkter flyttas mellan landsgränser relativt enkelt, såsom mellan USA och Sverige.  Vi har baserat vårt teoretiska ramverk kring olika typer av genrer, som tillsammans med satir kan hjälpa bilda en uppfattning om The Simpsons använder sig av sin föreställda satir för att eventuellt sprida information och kunskap.  Som metod har vi till denna studie valt att använda oss av fokusgruppsintervjuer där grupperna får se ett utvalt avsnitt av The Simpsons och sedan diskutera aspekter av programmet. Med hjälp av dessa fokusgrupper vill vi urskilja The Simpsons användande av satir och om den är effektiv för att sprida information och kunskap.   Med vår undersökning kom vi fram till att det förekommer delade uppfattningar om att använda animation för att sprida kunskap och information. Ena sidan tar upp det faktum att den animerade formen är effektiv då begränsningarna är få, den andra sidan påstår att animation kan leda till att budskap kan vara svåra att ta på allvar på grund av satirens överdrivande och fartfyllda egenskaper. Deltagarna i fokusgrupperna såg tydligt avsnittets budskap och tema samt många av de satiriska referenserna. Att använda satirisk humor för att sprida kunskap och information kan till viss grad påstås vara ett effektivt sätt att nå ut till publiken med budskap och åsikter.

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 2008. / Typescript.

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 2007. / Typescript.

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 1995. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 32).

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 2009. / Typescript.