Metaballs and Blobbies
CS-116A: Introduction to Computer Graphics
Instructor: Rob Bruce
Fall 2016
SLIDE 1: Metaball and Blobby Algorithms
- Marching squares:
- Approximating perimeter of 2D blobby surfaces through area sampling. - Marching cubes:
- Approximating surface of 3D blobby surfaces through volumetric sampling.
SLIDE 2: 2D Blobs: comprised of circles
Screenshot derived from source: http://jamie-wong.com/2014/08/19/metaballs-and-marching-squares/
SLIDE 3: 2D Blobs: sample the circles with squares
Screenshot derived from source: http://jamie-wong.com/2014/08/19/metaballs-and-marching-squares/
SLIDE 4: 2D Blobs: decrease square size
Screenshot derived from source: http://jamie-wong.com/2014/08/19/metaballs-and-marching-squares/
SLIDE 5: Sample with squares
Screenshot derived from source: http://jamie-wong.com/2014/08/19/metaballs-and-marching-squares/
SLIDE 6: Marching squares: 16 cases
Source: http://jamie-wong.com/2014/08/19/metaballs-and-marching-squares/
SLIDE 7: Marching squares: 16 cases
Screenshot derived from source: http://jamie-wong.com/2014/08/19/metaballs-and-marching-squares/
SLIDE 8: The Blob approximated
Screenshot derived from source: http://jamie-wong.com/2014/08/19/metaballs-and-marching-squares/
SLIDE 9: Marching cubes algorithm
- Construct 3D surface based on sampling with cubes!
- Cubes are then sliced into triangles.
- Triangles determine if we are on the surface of or inside the metaball object.
SLIDE 10: Marching cubes algorithm: cases
Source: Marching cubes: A high resolution 3D surface construction algorithm, p. 165.
SLIDE 11: Marching cubes: grid size samples
Screenshot derived from source: http://paulbourke.net/geometry/polygonise/
SLIDE 12: Metaball OpenGL source code
- Paul’s Project metaball download:
http://www.paulsprojects.net/opengl/metaballs/metaballs.zip
SLIDE 13: For Further Reading
- Bourke, P. (1994). Polygonising a scalar field. Retrieved from http://paulbourke.net/geometry/polygonise/
- Kommareddy, S., Siripun, J., & Sum, J. (n.d.). 3D Object Morphing with Metaballs. Retrieved from http://creativecoding.evl.uic.edu/courses/cs488/finalprojects/metaball/metaball.pdf
- Lorensen, W. E., Cline., H. E. (1987). Marching cubes: A high resolution 3D surface construction algorithm. Computer Graphics 21(4), 163-169.
- Paul’s Projects. (n.d.). http://www.paulsprojects.net/opengl/metaballs/metaballs.html
- Wong, J. (2014). Metaballs and Marching Squares. Retrieved http://jamie-wong.com/2014/08/19/metaballs-and-marching-squares/
- Wyvill, G., McPheeters, C., & Wyvill, B. (1986). Data structure for soft objects. Visual Computer 2(4), 227-234.
Robert Bruce
Research
Courses
Fall 2016, CS-116A:
Lectures:
- Introduction to OpenGL and GLUT
- Fractals
- Splines
- Mesh: Vertices, Edges, and Faces
- Event driven programming, capturing keypresses and mouse clicks
- Camera and clipping plane
- Animating the camera
- Light and Color (part 1 of 2)
- Light and Color (part 2 of 2)
- Graphics File Formats
- Creating mouse-driven menus in GLUT
- Developing Graphical user interface widgets with OpenGL
- Hidden surface removal
- GLSL: OpenGL Shading Language (part 1 of 2)
- GLSL: OpenGL Shading Language (part 2 of 2)
- Accelerated Graphics Hardware (GPU)
- Metaballs and Blobbies
- Linear transformations
- Coordinate systems in OpenGL
- Introduction to Blender
- Algorithmic animation and modelling (part 1 of 2)
- Algorithmic animation and modelling (part 2 of 2)
- Squash, Stretch, and Bounce: The twelve principles of animation
- Character Rigging for animation
- Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
- Introduction to WebGL
Assignments:
Handouts:
- Creating a bootable Linux Mint flash drive
- How to update software on Linux Mint
- Installing OpenGL libraries in Linux Mint
Programs:
Other
