Abstract: Representing a connection between objects in a simulation includes identifying, on a source object to be used in a simulation process, a source point that is available for creating a connection to another object. On a target object, a target point is identified for use in creating the connection. At least one of the source object and the target object is a rigid object. A spring element having respective ends at the source point and the target point is created, and at least one property thereof is set. A system includes an animation module, and a simulation module that performs a simulation process involving creating, and setting a property of, a spring element having respective ends at a source point on the source object and a target point on the target object.

Abstract: A computing device is configured to communicate with a peripheral via a connector having a predefined physical configuration and a predefined number of pins. The computing device comprising memory for storing instructions and a processor for executing the instructions. The instructions cause the processor to implement the following steps. Communication with the peripheral is initialized using a predefined initialization protocol via at least one predefined pin. Information relating to a pinout configuration defining a logical configuration of the pins is received from the peripheral. The pinout configuration is assigned to the pins. Communicating with the peripheral in commenced using the pinout configuration. A peripheral configured to communicate with the computing device and the methods for communicating there between are also described.

Abstract: Representing a connection between objects in a simulation includes identifying, on a source object to be used in a simulation process, a source point that is available for creating a connection to another object. On a target object, a target point is identified for use in creating the connection. At least one of the source object and the target object is a rigid object. A spring element having respective ends at the source point and the target point is created, and at least one property thereof is set. A system includes an animation module, and a simulation module that performs a simulation process involving creating, and setting a property of, a spring element having respective ends at a source point on the source object and a target point on the target object.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for obtaining a bounding sphere for the ellipsoid that results when an affine transformation matrix transforms a bounding volume. The present invention accomplishes this by using Gershgorin intervals to obtain a new radius for the bounding volume. The invention operates on a scene graph, which is comprised of a number of nodes arranged in a hierarchical organization. At least one of these nodes is an affine transformation matrix, which is used for operations such as rotations, scaling, and translations. Associated with the transformation matrix is a bounding sphere. The present invention calculates the radius of a new bounding sphere that encircles the ellipsoid formed when the affine matrix transforms the old bounding volume. The use of Gershgorin intervals is fast and yields accurate results.