3D Modeling and Animation: Synthesis and Analysis Techniques for the Human Body covers the areas of modeling and animating 3D synthetic human models at a level that is useful to students, researchers, software developers and content generators. The reader will be presented with the latest, research-level, techniques for the analysis and synthesis of still and moving human bodies, with particular emphasis in facial and gesture characteristics.

Computational Studies of Human Motion: Part 1, Tracking and Motion Synthesis reviews methods for kinematic tracking of the human body in video. The review confines itself to the earlier stages of motion, focusing on tracking and motion synthesis. There is an extensive discussion of open issues. The authors identify some puzzling phenomena associated with the choice of human motion representation --- joint angles vs. joint positions. The review concludes with a quick guide to resources and an extensive bibliography of over 400 references. Computational Studies of Human Motion: Part 1, Tracking and Motion Synthesis is an invaluable reference for those engaged in computational geometry, computer graphics, image processing, imaging in general, and robotic.

Researchers, graduate students, and practitioners alike will benefit from this state-of-the-art reference. It's the first book to explain in a single volume the essential components of three-dimensional analysis of human movement. Readers will gain a fundamental understanding of methods and technology used to capture, reconstruct, and process 3-D data; concepts and techniques of mechanical and neuromuscular modeling, including robotics; and the application of 3-D analysis. The editors have brought together contributions from international experts to create a technical manual that demonstrates the possibilities and potential pitfalls of 3-D analysis of human movement. More than 140 tables, diagrams, and photos throughout the book illustrate essential content.

"3-D Human Modeling and Animation fills a tremendous void that has become even more evident with the successful use of 3-D in movies like Disney's Toy Story. While there has been much written about drawing the human form in relation to art, commercial design, and 2-D cartooning, the subject of 3-D modeling and animation of the human form has been neglected at the same time that the use of 3-D tools has been exploding. It is my judgment that [this] book will become the reference that professional and student artists and animators turn to in order to master one of the most challenging yet exciting subjects to model and animate-the human form." -Nick Pavlovic, CEO, Visual Information Development, Inc., Monrovia, CA Ideal for graphic designers, artists, and others, 3-D Human Modeling and Animation builds a bridge from traditional figure drawing, painting, and sculpture to the creation and animation of figures using computer technology. With a step-by-step approach, the book leads readers through the process of modeling human figures, with specific yet flexible techniques that can be applied to many different hardware/software setups. Separate chapters cover different areas of the body, and contain everything readers need to know about proportion, basic design strategies, 3-D construction methods, and other essential information. The final chapters show how to prepare figures for animation and get them up and running-and jumping, walking, turning, and twisting! Complete with illustrations, helpful exercises, and more, 3-D Human Modeling and Animation opens up a whole new world of creative possibilities to explore.