Abstract: An apparatus for generating an image. The apparatus includes a computer. The apparatus includes a display connected to the computer upon which images from the computer appear. The apparatus includes a mechanism for producing images with texture that do not have visible grid artifacts. The producing mechanism disposed in the computer. A method for generating images. The method includes the steps of producing the images with texture that do not have visible grid artifacts with the computer. There is the step of displaying the images on a display.

Abstract: A foveated display. The display includes a computer. The display includes a detailed imaging element for imaging a detailed portion of an image from the computer. The imaging element is connected to the computer. The display includes a focusing mechanism for focusing the detailed portion of the image. The focusing mechanism is disposed adjacent to the imaging element and connected to the computer. The display includes a wide area imaging element for imaging a wide-area portion of the image. The wide area imaging element is connected to the computer. The display includes means to optically combine the detailed portion with the wide area portion to form a foveated image. The display includes an imaging lens which focuses the foveated image to a desired location wherein the detailed imaging element, the focusing mechanism and the wide area imaging element have no moving parts. A method for producing a foveated image.

Abstract: An apparatus for displaying an image to an observer. The apparatus comprises a display screen upon which stripes of the image appear in at least three distinct phases. The apparatus comprises a light blocking shutter disposed in front of the display screen forming a stripe pattern which lets through only ⅓ of each stripe of the image on the display screen during each of the at least three distinct phases. The apparatus comprises a computer connected to the display screen and the light blocking shutter which changes the phases so in each phase the stripe pattern is shifted laterally, which renders 2 3D scenes corresponding to the eyes of the observer, which produces a proper left/right orientation pattern for each of the three phases and which interleaves the left/right orientations into three successive time phases as red, green and blue, respectively. The apparatus comprises an eye tracker for identifying the locations of the observers' eyes and providing the location to the computer.

Abstract: In computer animation a system and method for portraying animated characters which convey human-like emotions, by body movements, and human-like body movements. The gestures, for example, arm movements, are synthesized using controlled stochastic functions.

Abstract: A system for the creation of real-time, behavior-based animated actors. The system provides tools to create actors that respond to users and to each other in real-time, with personalities and moods consistent with the author's goals and intentions. The system includes two subsystems. The first subsystem is an Animation Engine that uses procedural techniques to enable authors to create layered, continuous, non-repetitive motions and smooth transitions between them. The second subsystem is a Behavior Engine that enables authors to create sophisticated rules governing how actors communicate, change, and make decisions. The combined system provides an integrated set of tools for authoring the “minds” and “bodies” of interactive actors. The system uses an english-style scripting language so that creative experts who are not primarily programmers can create powerful interactive applications.

Abstract: A robotic manipulator. The manipulator includes an end. The manipulator includes a drive limb comprising N concentrically nested tubes, where N is greater than or equal to 2 and is an integer. The limb has a top and a bottom and is connected to the end at the top of the limb. The manipulator includes a drive mechanism connected with the drive limb at the drive limb's bottom to move the limb and the end. A method for moving a robotic manipulator. The method includes the steps of rotating an outside concentric tube of a drive limb. Then there is the step of turning a support structure of a joint with the outside tube which contacts the support structure. Next there is the step of rotating a second limb with an axle which contacts the second limb and the support structure to cause the second limb to rotate about the gear.

Abstract: A displayer. The displayer comprises a sensor mechanism for identifying where N different eyes of V viewers are in space, where N is greater than or equal to 2 and is an integer and V is greater than or equal to 1 and is an integer. The displayer comprises a displaying mechanism for displaying N different images to N different eyes where each image is a function of where each eye is in space to which the respective image is associated. The displaying mechanism is remote and apart from and out of contact with the V viewers. The displaying mechanism is in communication with the sensor mechanism. The displaying mechanism includes a computer which receives information from the sensor mechanism identifying where each eye is in space and produces the images.

Abstract: A computer animation method for creating computer generated animated characters which realistically perform human-like actions. Actions of an animated character are produced as a combination of motions of a plurality of joints. A number of gesture actions are displayed and defined as a series of frames generated by specifying rotational ranges and speeds of rotation on a number of rotational axes of each joint for each gesture action. The actions of each animated character appear as a weighted average of gesture actions. Gesture actions may also be combined and displayed simultaneously. By gradually varying the weight of active gesture actions, transitions between gestures are smooth and realistic.

Abstract: A displayer comprises a sensor mechanism for identifying where N different eyes of V viewers are in space, where N is greater than equal to 2 and is an integer and V is greater than or equal to 1 and is an integer. The displayer comprises a displaying mechanism for displaying N different images to N different eyes where each image is a function of where each eye is in space to which the respective image is associated. The displaying mechanism remote and apart from and out of contact with the V viewers.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus for writing. The apparatus comprises a writing mechanism. The apparatus comprises a tablet surface sensitive to the position of the writing mechanism and able to detect whether the writing mechanism is in contact with the surface. The apparatus comprises a computer processor which identifies a writeable character from the motion of the writing mechanism from a resting zone into an other zone of a plurality of zones when the writing mechanism is in contact with the surface. The computer processor defines the surface into the resting zone and enough other zones to identify a written alphabet. Each other zone is in contact with the resting zone. The present invention pertains to a method for writing. The method comprises the steps of moving a stylus from a resting zone on a tablet surface to at least an other zone of a plurality of zones in contact with the resting zone while the stylus is in continuous contact with the surface.

Abstract: A method and system receives a digital source image and brush size data. The source image is blurred to generate a digital reference image. The brush size data includes a first record corresponding to a first size of a brush and a second record corresponding to a second size of the brush. The first size is different from the second size. The method and system applies brush strokes, with the first record to be used for the brush, to a digital canvas image using the reference image. Then the brush strokes are applied, with the second record to be used for the brush, to the canvas image using the reference and working images. Thus, a final digital image having a hand-painted appearance is generated on the canvas image. Long curved brush strokes can also be used to generate the target image, which is aligned in a normal direction to image gradients. Furthermore the graphic artist may adjust parameters of the method and system according to the present invention to vary the style of painting.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus for electronically storing alphanumeric characters. The apparatus comprises a computer having a memory. The apparatus also comprises a pointing device electrically connected to the computer which serves as a virtual keyboard. Furthermore, the apparatus comprises means for encoding words with alphanumeric characters with a gesture language which is drawn by the pointing device on a surface without the pointing device having to be lifted from the surface. The encoding means is disposed in the memory. The present invention also pertains to a method for electrically storing alphanumeric characters. The method comprises the steps of a) positioning a pointing device electrically connected to a computer to a relative origin on a surface. Next, there is the step b) of moving the pointing device to a predetermined position relative to the origin in a predetermined motion along the surface while maintaining contact with the surface the entire time.

Abstract: A computer user interface that represents information stored in a computer as reprentation objects located on at least one reference surface is disclosed. A user can magnify or reduce the displayed information by "zooming" in or out. The magnification operation displays a smaller portion of a particular surface, but each object that remains in view is displayed in greater size and/or detail. Similarly, the reduction operation displays a larger portion of a given surface, but each object within such surface is displayed in a smaller size and/or less detail. In order to view one part of the surface from another part of the surface or from another surface, a special type of an object, called a representation portal object, is provided. A graphical description of each object is physically stored in computer memory essentially as a sequence of compressed image representations.