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Computational design of linkage-based characters

Published: 27 July 2014 Publication History

Abstract

We present a design system for linkage-based characters, combining form and function in an aesthetically-pleasing manner. Linkage-based character design exhibits a mix of discrete and continuous problems, making for a highly unintuitive design space that is difficult to navigate without assistance. Our system significantly simplifies this task by allowing users to interactively browse different topology options, thus guiding the discrete set of choices that need to be made. A subsequent continuous optimization step improves motion quality and, crucially, safeguards against singularities. We demonstrate the flexibility of our method on a diverse set of character designs, and then realize our designs by physically fabricating prototypes.

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  1. Computational design of linkage-based characters

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    Published In

    cover image ACM Transactions on Graphics
    ACM Transactions on Graphics  Volume 33, Issue 4
    July 2014
    1366 pages
    ISSN:0730-0301
    EISSN:1557-7368
    DOI:10.1145/2601097
    Issue’s Table of Contents
    Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than the author(s) must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected].

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    Publication History

    Published: 27 July 2014
    Published in TOG Volume 33, Issue 4

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    Author Tags

    1. animation
    2. fabrication
    3. interactive design
    4. linkage design
    5. mechanical characters

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    • (2024)A Dataset of 3M Single-DOF Planar 4-, 6-, and 8-Bar Linkage Mechanisms With Open and Closed Coupler Curves for Machine Learning-Driven Path SynthesisJournal of Mechanical Design10.1115/1.4067014147:4Online publication date: 18-Nov-2024
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