UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

CS 4392 Computer Animation
COURSE SYLLABUS Spring 2005
Instructor Rafael Lacambra

CATALOG DESCRIPTION: CS 4392 Computer Animation (3 semester hours) Introduction to traditional

animation. Kinematics of motion. Key framing. Coordinate systems and transformations (review), Euler
angles and Quaternions, Catmull Rom and B-Splines, Advanced Key framing, articulated figures (forward
kinematics), human and animal modeling (soft tissue, skin, etc.). Facial animation (parametric). Physically
based modeling (rigid, collision detection). Physically based modeling (deformable). Behavioral and heuristic
models. Algorithmic animation. Optimization techniques. Animation languages and systems. Motion capture
and real time control. Virtual reality and animation. Rendering and temporal aliasing. 2D and 3D morphing.
3D modeling.

INSTRUCTOR: Rafael Lacambra

E-MAIL Use WebCT e-mail tool only
WWW It is important to visit the course web page and WebCT frequently to check
announcements, homework, activities, tips, FAQ, links, etc.
http://www.utdallas.edu/~Rafael.Lacambra
http://webct.utdallas.edu
OFFICE: ECSS 3.704
Wednesday 2:00 – 5:00 PM (in my office. East side of building, 3rd floor)
OFFICE HOURS:
Monday and Friday 2:00– 4:00 PM
OUGA ECS South (this building) - Suite 2.502 (NW entrance)
PREREQUISITE: MATH 2418 (Linear Algebra) and CS 2336 (CS2) or CS/SE 3345 (Data
Structures & Alg. Analys)
Computer Animation: Algorithms and Techniques
TEXTBOOK:
by Rick Parent
Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann
ISBN: 1558605797
After successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
OBJETIVES:
• Understand the role of the CS/SE major in Computer Animation
• Understand different animation techniques to automate movement
• Program animation techniques using software standards in industry and
research
• Know the “behind the scenes” look of animation by programming
• Understand the Mathematics of computer animation
METHOD OF Homework programming assignments 40%
EVALUATION: Project (including presentation): 20%
Exams (must have a 60% average): 30%
Quizzes (available through WebCT 4%
Labs 6%
LETTER (97-100 A+), (92-96 A), (90-91 A-), (88-89 B+), (82-87 B), (80-81 B-)
GRADES: (78-79 C+), (72-77 C), (70-71 C-), (68-69 D+), (62-67 D), (60-61 D-)
Below 60 F.
AUDITING: No auditing of courses is allowed in the School of Engineering and Computer Science.

DATES Classes Begin: January 10

Spring 2005 MLK day: January 17 (University Closed)
Semester: Spring Break: March 7–12 (Classes Suspended/University Open)
Classes End: April 25
Final examinations: Tuesday, April 26 - Monday, May 2

UTD. CS4392 Computer Animation. Spring 05 1/4

 UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
CS 4392 Computer Animation
COURSE SYLLABUS Spring 2005
Instructor Rafael Lacambra

CLASS HOMEWORK and ACTIVITIES

POLICIES
- Read the rules and specifications in the web page for every homework and
activity.
- You must upload and submit your homework using WebCT.
- Homework is due on the specified date no later than 11:00 PM (WebCT time).
- Homework will be accepted one day late (24 hours) with a 10% penalty.
- After one day (24 hours), if not submitted, assignments will receive a grade of
zero.
- Every time you submit homework through WebCT, WebCT will send you an e-
mail acknowledgement. You must keep this e-mail for your records until the
end of the semester and the final grade has been assigned. You will use it in
case any homework submittal issue arises.
Note: If you do not receive an acknowledge e-mail, WebCT has not
received your homework and it will be considered as not submitted.
The e-mail address requested by WebCT for confirmation is your own,
not the professors’

- No extra homework/projects for bonus points.

EXAM
- The student must have a 60% average between the two exams and final
project. If the student fails to meet this requirement, the student will receive
a grade of F in the class even if he/she has a passing grade (including
homework, quizzes and labs).
- Exam dates are fixed. I will not change these dates for any circumstance. I
will not move up any exam date. No makeup exams at a later/earlier date
will be scheduled for any student unless a written medical note is provided.
- Two exams, no final, project presentations instead on that date

GENERAL
I expect the student to come to class, study the materials and textbook and do the
homework, activities and exams.
It is the student’s responsibility to check what we covered in class and the
announcements during class if he or she did not attend.

The best way of learning Computer Animation Techniques is by programming them.

You can acquire a good programming level by doing many examples from the
textbook, homework and attending the labs.
The course is very time demanding. Plan ahead all your activities and if you have
any problem with your homework or your study, do not hesitate to ask questions to
the TA or the Instructor. Do not wait until you have a bad grade.
It is important to read The University of Texas System Policy on Academic Honesty
that appears in the Regents Rules and Regulations. , Part One, Chapter VI, Section

UTD. CS4392 Computer Animation. Spring 05 2/4

 UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
CS 4392 Computer Animation
COURSE SYLLABUS Spring 2005
Instructor Rafael Lacambra
3, Paragraph 3.22. “Any student who commits an act of scholastic dishonesty is
subject to discipline. Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating,
plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are
attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another,
any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit
such acts”.

Important dates

Homework Due Dates

Homework 1 (4%): Object and Camera Friday, January 28th

Transformations using OpenGL

Homework 2 (9%): Key Framing and Friday, February 11th

interpolation techniques

Homework 3 (9%): Physically based Friday, March 4th

Homework 4 (9%): Articulated figures Friday, March 25th

Homework 5 (9%): Friday, April 7th

Behavioral/Algorithmic/Parametric

Labs Due Dates

Lab 1 (2%): OpenGL basics Friday, January 14th

Lab 2 (2%): Articulated figures Friday, March 4th

Lab 3 (2%): Creating a plug-in for Maya Friday, April 22

Final Project Due Date

th
Due: Friday, April 29
Project (20%) Live presentation required
Use at least two techniques covered Presentations:11:00 AM Monday, May 2
Verify official final date at:
http://www.utdallas.edu/student/class/spring/final.htm
Exams: Due Dates

Exam 1 (15%) Friday, March 2

Exam 2 (15%) Friday, April 13

Important: The dates in this schedule may change due to the class level. If the class needs more
time and examples to understand a concept I will modify the schedule. If the class is ready to skip
a chapter or go faster I will modify the schedule. Therefore, it is the student’s responsibility to
check what we covered in class and the changes in the schedule announced during class.

UTD. CS4392 Computer Animation. Spring 05 3/4

 UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
CS 4392 Computer Animation
COURSE SYLLABUS Spring 2005
Instructor Rafael Lacambra
Table of contents
1. Intro 8.3. Catmull Rom and B-Splines
1.1. Rules, requirements and dates (syllabus) 8.4. Moving/animating the camera, adding noise
1.2. Prerequisites (what you should know) 8.5. Moving/animationg objects in scene
1.3. Tools – compiler, graphic library, rendering Animating attributes (color, transparency, non-uniform
language, time scaling)
1.4. Why and where (CS/SE majors doing Computer
Animation) 9. Advanced Key framing
9.1. Mixing interpolation techniques
2. Animation pipeline (art + science + technology) 9.2. Collision detection and reaction
2.1. Art – Storyboard (“Story is King”) 9.3. Hard vs. soft “collision”
2.2. Science – Modeling + Motion Control + Render
2.3. Technology – Post production 10. Articulated figures, Forward kinematics
10.1. Hierarchical animation (dependencies)
3. Intro to traditional animation 10.2. Moving endpoints by controlling intermediate
3.1. Kinematics of motion angles
3.2. Timeline 10.3. Human and animal modeling (soft tissue, skin, ,
3.3. Disney’s twelve principles (anticipation, follow walk gait, etc)
through, etc)
3.4. Pencil test 11. Articulated figures, Inverse kinematics
11.1. Controlling intermediate angles by moving
4. Basic Rendering Concepts endpoint
4.1. Lights, Camera, and Materials 11.2. Physical restrictions
4.2. Color
4.3. Depth Z-buffer 12. Facial animation (parametric)
4.4. Ray Tracing/casting 12.1. Muscles and regions
4.5. Radiosity 12.2. Relating feelings to muscle movements
4.6. Image-Based Rendering
4.7. Hardware Rendering 13. Physically based (rigid, collision detection)
13.1. Point of contact + “radius”
5. Coordinate systems and transformations (review) 13.2. Resulting rotation
5.1. Homogeneous coordinates
5.2. Compounding transformations (sequence 14. Physically based (deformable)
matters) 14.1. Mass, elasticity and rupture
5.3. Basic Transformations:
Translation, Scaling and Rotation 15. Behavioral and heuristic models
5.4. Euler angles 15.1. Automation vs. control
5.5. Quaternions 15.2. Setting the rules
5.6. Non ambiguous (unique) rotations 15.3. Learning models
15.4. Particle systems
6. Modeling techniques 15.5. Flocking behavior
6.1. Creating objects
6.2. Primitives 16. Algorithmic animation
6.3. Patches/tessellation 16.1. Fractals- self repetition
6.4. Splines and soft curves 16.2. Plants
16.3. Mountains
7. Aids to Motion Specification
7.1. Interpolation 17. Optimization techniques
7.2. The Appropriate Function 17.1. Cleaning the animation
7.3. Controlling the Motion Along a Curve
7.4. Computing Arc Length 18. Animation languages and systems
7.5. Speed Control 18.1. Libraries
7.6. Ease-in/Ease-out 18.2. Standards
7.7. Constant Acceleration: Parabolic Ease-In/Ease- 18.3. Programming languages
Out 18.4. Compatibility
7.8. General Distance-Time Functions
7.9. Curve Fitting to Position-Time Pairs 19. Motion capture and real time control
7.10. Interpolation of Rotations using Quaternions
7.11. Path Following 20. Output (rendering)
7.12. Orientation along a Path 20.1. Checking motion (low level)
7.13. Smoothing a Path 20.2. Rendering the final frames
7.14. Determining a Path along a Surface 20.3. Temporal aliasing

8. Keyframing (basic animation) 21. Virtual Reality, Gaming and Animation

8.1. Key frames plus interpolation 21.1. Quality vs. movement
8.2. Types of interpolation (linear, square, etc

UTD. CS4392 Computer Animation. Spring 05 4/4