Frame-based interactive simulation of complex deformable objects

Abstract : We present a new type of deformable model which combines the realism of physically based continuum mechanics models and the usability of frame-based skinning methods, allowing the interactive simulation of objects with heterogeneous material properties and complex geometries. The degrees of freedom are coordinate frames. In contrast with traditional skinning, frame positions are not scripted but move in reaction to internal body forces. The deformation gradient and its deriv- atives are computed at each sample point of a deformed object and used in the equations of Lagrangian mechanics to achieve physical realism. We introduce novel material-aware shape functions in place of the traditional radial basis functions used in meshless frameworks, allowing coarse deformation functions to efficiently resolve non-uniform stiffnesses. Complex models can thus be simulated at high frame rates using a small number of control nodes.