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Eitan Grinspun

How do you create realistic animations? How do you predict the motion of materials? It’s key to the success of animated films to ensure (was insure) audiences believe in characters.

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How do you create realistic animations? How do you predict the motion of materials? It’s key to the success of animated films to ensure (was insure) audiences believe in characters.

This course will show you how to create lifelike animations focusing on the technical aspects of CGI animation and also give you a glimpse into how studios approach the art of physically-based animation.

You will learn the fundamental concepts of physical simulation, including:

  1. integration of ordinary differential equations such as those needed to predict the motion of a dress in the wind.
  2. formulation of models for physical phenomena such as crumpling sheet metal and flowing water.
  3. treatment of discontinuities such as fractures and collisions.
  4. simulation of liquids and solids in both Lagrangian and Eulerian coordinates.
  5. artistic control of physically-based animations.

These concepts will be put into practice in the programming assignments spanning:

  • Discretizing and integrating Newton’s equations of motion
  • Constrained Lagrangian Mechanics
  • Collisions, contact, and friction: detection and response
  • Continuum mechanics
  • Finite elements
  • Rigid body simulation
  • Thin shell and cloth simulation
  • Elastic rod and hair simulation
  • Fluid simulation

What you'll learn

  • To code your own physics simulator to master the fundamental algorithms for creating lifelike animations clothing, hair, liquids, rigid bodies and more!
  • Temporal integration of the equations of motion
  • Formulation of mathematical models for mechanical systems
  • Numerical methods for treating contact and impact
  • Lagrangian and Eulerian representations of continua control of physical models

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • To code your own physics simulator to master the fundamental algorithms for creating lifelike animations clothing, hair, liquids, rigid bodies and more!
  • Temporal integration of the equations of motion
  • Formulation of mathematical models for mechanical systems
  • Numerical methods for treating contact and impact
  • Lagrangian and eulerian representations of continua control of physical models

Syllabus

The coursework will focus on seven themes. Each theme is divided into weekly assignments, or "milestones." Each milestone will include successful implementation of new technical features, and an artistic scene that demonstrates these features. Theme 01: Mass-spring systems , in which you will implement point masses, gravity, springs, dampers, time integrators (explicit Euler, symplectic Euler, linearized implicit Euler). Theme 02: Collision handling , in which you will implement detection against fixed obstacles (discs, half-planes, polygonal objects), response against fixed obstacles (using reflection with a coefficient of restitution, and penalty methods), advanced pairwise detection between polygonal objects, and broad-phase accelerations using spatial hashing and hierarchical bounding volumes. Theme 03: Rigid bodies , in which you will implement computations of center of mass and moment of intertia for polygonal objects, time integration for rigid bodies, and contact with fixed obstacles. Theme 04: Elastica , in which you will implement the constant strain finite element, a discrete bending force for polygonal objects, and plastic and viscous flow. Theme 05: Fluids , in which you will implement a fast and stable fluid simulation including advection, convection, and viscosity, in an Eulerian framework. Theme 07: Project , in which you are the boss.

Good to know

Know what's good
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, and possible dealbreakers
Offers a comprehensive treatment of physically-based animation, including integration of differential equations, formulation of models for physical phenomena, and treatment of discontinuities
Taught by Eitan Grinspun, a recognized expert in computer graphics and animation
Covers a wide range of topics, from mass-spring systems to fluids, providing a comprehensive foundation in physically-based animation
Includes hands-on programming assignments that allow learners to apply the concepts learned in the course to practical problems
Requires a strong foundation in physics and mathematics, including familiarity with ordinary differential equations

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Reviews summary

Animation and cgi motion course

According to students, the Animation and CGI Motion course is overall positive and intellectually challenging. This is a postgraduate-level course and the scope of the work is broad, but some students have concerns about the time commitment.
The course is intellectually challenging for postgraduate students.
"The course is technically and intellectually challenging, putting it at the right level for a postgraduate course in computer science"
The scope of the work is broad and there is a lot to cover in the course.
"the basic problem is that scope of the work is too broad."
"there is too much project work to complete in a reasonable amount of time."
The workload is demanding, requiring at least 15 hours per week.
"You must take at least 15 hour per week to finish the lecture and assignment."

Activities

Coming soon We're preparing activities for Animation and CGI Motion. These are activities you can do either before, during, or after a course.

Career center

Learners who complete Animation and CGI Motion will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Computer Graphics Animator
Computer graphics animators use computer software to create 3D models and animations for movies, TV shows, and video games. This course can help you develop the skills you need to succeed in this field, including how to create realistic animations by focusing on the technical aspects of CGI animation. You will also gain experience in using physics simulators to create lifelike animations of clothing, hair, liquids, and rigid bodies
Animator
Animators help create lifelike characters and environments for movies, TV shows, and video games. This course can help you develop the skills you need to succeed in this field, including how to create realistic animations by focusing on the technical aspects of CGI animation. You will also gain experience in using physics simulators to create lifelike animations of clothing, hair, liquids, and rigid bodies
Motion Graphics Designer
Motion graphics designers create animated graphics for movies, TV shows, and video games. This course can help you develop the skills you need to succeed in this field, including how to create realistic animations by focusing on the technical aspects of CGI animation. You will also gain experience in using physics simulators to create lifelike animations of clothing, hair, liquids, and rigid bodies.
Simulation Engineer
Simulation engineers use computer software to create simulations of physical systems. This course can help you develop the skills you need to succeed in this field, including how to create realistic animations by focusing on the technical aspects of CGI animation. You will also gain experience in using physics simulators to create lifelike animations of clothing, hair, liquids, and rigid bodies.
Game Designer
Game designers create the concepts and rules for video games. This course can help you develop the skills you need to succeed in this field, including how to create realistic animations by focusing on the technical aspects of CGI animation. You will also gain experience in using physics simulators to create lifelike animations of clothing, hair, liquids, and rigid bodies.
Technical Artist
Technical artists work with engineers and designers to create the technical aspects of video games and movies. This course can help you develop the skills you need to succeed in this field, including how to create realistic animations by focusing on the technical aspects of CGI animation. You will also gain experience in using physics simulators to create lifelike animations of clothing, hair, liquids, and rigid bodies.
Computational Biophysicist
Computational biophysicists use computer simulations to study the behavior of biological systems. This course may be useful for you if you are interested in this field, as it will help you develop the skills you need to create realistic animations of biological systems.
Data Scientist
Data scientists use computer software to analyze data and extract insights from it. This course may be useful for you if you are interested in this field, as it will help you develop the skills you need to create realistic animations of data.
Physicist
Physicists use scientific methods to study the laws of nature. This course may be useful for you if you are interested in this field, as it will help you develop the skills you need to create realistic animations of physical systems.
Mathematician
Mathematicians use mathematical models to solve problems in various fields. This course may be useful for you if you are interested in this field, as it will help you develop the skills you need to create realistic animations of mathematical models.
Software Engineer
Software engineers design, develop, and maintain computer software. This course may be useful for you if you are interested in this field, as it will help you develop the skills you need to create realistic animations of software systems.
Industrial Designer
Industrial designers design products for mass production. This course may be useful for you if you are interested in this field, as it will help you develop the skills you need to create realistic animations of products.
User Experience Designer
User experience designers create the user interface for websites and apps. This course may be useful for you if you are interested in this field, as it will help you develop the skills you need to create realistic animations of user interfaces.
Web Developer
Web developers design and develop websites. This course may be useful for you if you are interested in this field, as it will help you develop the skills you need to create realistic animations of websites.
Architect
Architects design buildings and other structures. This course may be useful for you if you are interested in this field, as it will help you develop the skills you need to create realistic animations of buildings and structures.

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