FALL 1993 COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT

                         "Advances in Modeling"

                           Dr. Dinesh Manocha

                 COMP 290 section 058, 3.0 hours credit
                     2:00-3:15pm, M W, SN 011.

Prerequisites

    undergraduate computer graphics (or COMP 236), linear algebra (or COMP 151)

This course deals with geometric problems arising in computer graphics,
simulation, mechanical design, robotics, computer vision and virtual
environments. We have chosen a set of research areas, currently receiving a
lot of interest in the field. The choice of these areas has also been
motivated by ongoing projects in the department like walkthru,
head mounted displays, tracking, molecular modeling etc.  These areas are:

  Interactive Simulation and Collision Detection: Computational complexity vs.
       simulated environments, algebraic formulation, geometric complexity,
       use of coherence, algorithms for polytopes, curved objects and deformable
       models. Applications to physical based modeling and simulations.

  Geometric Complexity for Graphics: Multiresolution modeling, retiling
       polygonal models, mesh optimizations, visibility computations,
       hierarchical representations. Applications to large scale models.

  Geometric Constraint Systems: Kinematic analysis, degrees of freedom
       analysis, algebraic and geometric methods, animation of articulated
       structures, application to molecular modeling, kinematic linkages.

  Modeling and Calibrating Cameras: Projective geometry, modeling cameras,
       calibrating cameras (self calibration), structure from motion,
       applications to UNC tracking system and video see-through cameras.

A number of concepts from computational geometry, algebraic geometry and
projective geometry, linear algebra and numerical analysis will be introduced
and applied to these problems. We will analyze these concepts from a
computational viewpoint (namely robustness and implementation issues). Any
background in these areas is useful but not necessary. Course load consists
of class participation and presentations, written assignments and a course
project. Students are encouraged to work in groups for the project. The
projects may involve any modeling applications from computer graphics or
small research problems.