Abstract: A system and method for intuitively generating computer-assisted animation utilizes a transformation space in which a computer input device such as a three-dimensional drawing wand is moved to generated constructed poses from a plurality of source poses. The transformation space may be in the form of a tetrahedron with each of the four vertices representative of a source pose. At any point within the three-dimensional volume of the tetrahedron, a constructed pose may be defined based on weighted averages of the four source poses. The animator may create a sequence of animation simply by moving the drawing wand within the tetrahedron. The rate of change of the transformations of the constructed poses is controlled by the rate of movement of the drawing wand but may be altered after the sequence of constructed poses is defined.

Abstract: A system and method for intuitively generating computer-assisted animation utilizes a transformation space in which a computer input device such as a three-dimensional drawing wand is moved to generated constructed poses from a plurality of source poses. The transformation space may be in the form of a tetrahedron with each of the four vertices representative of a source pose. At any point within the three-dimensional volume of the tetrahedron, a constructed pose may be defined based on weighted averages of the four source poses. The animator may create a sequence of animation simply by moving the drawing wand within the tetrahedron. The rate of change of the transformations of the constructed poses is controlled by the rate of movement of the drawing wand but may be altered after the sequence of constructed poses is defined.

Abstract: A system and method for intuitively generating computer-assisted animation utilizes a transformation space in which a computer input device such as a three-dimensional drawing wand is moved to generated constructed poses from a plurality of source poses. The transformation space may be in the form of a tetrahedron with each of the four vertices representative of a source pose. At any point within the three-dimensional volume of the tetrahedron, a constructed pose may be defined based on weighted averages of the four source poses. The animator may create a sequence of animation simply by moving the drawing wand within the tetrahedron. The rate of change of the transformations of the constructed poses is controlled by the rate of movement of the drawing wand but may be altered after the sequence of constructed poses is defined.

Abstract: A method for generating images that appear as complex three-dimensional surfaces when viewed using a stereoscopic viewing system, using only a minimum amount of data to define the images. The stereo contours of a complex three-dimensional surface are drawn using a three-dimensional computer drawing system and three-axis input device. The drawing is viewed with a stereoscopic viewing system using, e.g., a CRT where the left and right eye images are time multiplexed in sequential fields and liquid crystal shutter glasses synchronized with the CRT display. Simply by drawing closed loops in space, filling the closed loops with color, and drawing a minimum number of other stereo contours, an image is created which appears to define a complex three-dimensional surface.