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ABSTRACT

We describe a real-time solid modeling system that is based on the physical analogy of forming clay by applying forces. The system is implemented by simulating real materials as they react to user-supplied forces. Unlike other physically-based modeling approaches, the Thingworld system allows the user to restrict forming action to simple global deformations during the initial "roughing in" phase of modeling, and then later concern themselves with detailing. The Thingworld system also allows users to automatically model existing objects by using measurements taken from the object's surface. These measurements are used to generate artificial forces that mold the computer model much as a human would mold a clay model. Timed examples for constructing solid models are shown.

REFERENCES

• 1: [1] Borning, A., (1979), Thinglab -- A Constraint-Oriented Simulation Laboratory. SSL-79-3, Xerox PARC, Palo Alto, CA.
• 2: A. Pentland , J. Williams, Good vibrations: modal dynamics for graphics and animation, Proceedings of the 16th annual conference on Computer graphics and interactive techniques, p.215-222, July 1989
• 3: [3] Pentland, A., (1988) Automatic Extraction of Deformable Part Models, M.I.T. Media Lab Vision Science Technical Report No. 104, to appear in Int'l Journal of Computer Vision.
• 4: [4] Terzopoulos, D., Platt, J., Barr, A., and Fleischer, K., (1987), Elastically Deformable Models, ACM Computer Graphics, (Siggraph 87) Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 205-214.
• 5: Andrew Witkin , Kurt Fleischer , Alan Barr, Energy constraints on parameterized models, Proceedings of the 14th annual conference on Computer graphics and interactive techniques, p.225-232, August 1987

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.3 COMPUTER GRAPHICS
      I.3.5 Computational Geometry and Object Modeling
          Subjects: Curve, surface, solid, and object representations

Additional Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.3 COMPUTER GRAPHICS
      I.3.6 Methodology and Techniques
          Subjects: Interaction techniques

  J. Computer Applications
  J.6 COMPUTER-AIDED ENGINEERING
      Subjects: Computer-aided design (CAD)

General Terms:
Design, Performance