In this talk I will first describe our recent work on constructing efficient computational models of the musculoskeletal system, using fiber-like 3D elastic elements we call ``muscle strands.'' The strand model offers the efficiency of line-based muscle models, but with more realistic handling of contact and other constraints. Second, I will describe efficient algorithms for simulating contact between rigid bodies with friction, and between quasi-rigid bodies. Finally, I will describe how real human contact with a physical object can be measured using a technique we call ``interaction capture.'' We simultaneously measure contact forces and limb movements at a high rate, and estimate the impedances that human subjects use during contact. This information can be used not only for understanding human movement and contact, but also for synthesizing new computer animations.

Speaker Bio:

Dinesh K. Pai is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Rutgers University. Previously, he was a Professor at the University of British Columbia and a fellow of the BC Advanced Systems Institute. He received his Ph.D. from Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. His research interests span the areas of computer graphics, robotics, multisensory human interaction, and the neural control of movement.

Dr. Pai also directs the Multisensory Computation Laboratory. A major focus of the lab is their Haptic, Auditory and Visual Environment (HAVEN), an integrated facility for interactive modeling and rendering. The HAVEN includes a high speed Vicon motion capture system and other sensors for measuring humans and their actions, as well as visual, auditory, and haptic displays.

He is also interested in the use of interactive simulation in medicine and in medical imaging using ultrasound and is a member of the Center for Computational Biomedicine Imaging and Modeling (CBIM). See http://www.cs.rutgers.edu/~dpai for more details.

About the Lecture
TERUKO YATA was a postdoctoral fellow in the Robotics Institute from 2000 until her untimely death in 2002. After graduating from the University of Tsukuba, working under the guidance of Prof. Yuta, she came to the United States. At Carnegie Mellon, she served as a post-doctoral fellow in the Robotics Institute for three years, under Chuck Thorpe. Teruko's accomplishments in the field of ultrasonic sensing were highly regarded and won her the Best Student Paper Award at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation in 1999.

It has been noted often, that "the quality of her work was exceeded only by her kindness and thoughtfulness as a friend." Join us in paying tribute to an extraordinary colleague and friend.

<< Back