3D Simulation and Animation
Computer simulation and animation are well known for their uses in visualizing and explaining complex and dynamic events. They are also useful in the analysis and understanding of these types of events. That is why they are becoming increasingly used in litigation. While simulation and animation are different, they both involve the application of 3D computer graphics.
Simulation and Animation have Similarities and Differences
Both use computer graphics and motion is presented on a video screen.
The difference is how the motion is derived
- Animation uses keyframes to define the position and orientation of objects at specific points in time with the computer providing the motion in between to achieve the smooth motion of objects.
- Simulation uses computer programs, which rely on the laws of physics and engineering to analyze the event and produce the motion of the objects.
Both Simulation and Animation have their Strong Points
- Simulation produces motion, which is consistent with the laws of physics and relies on the input by the user to be consistent with the events portrayed.
- The motion in an animation can be derived from a reconstruction of the event or can be taken from a simulation.
- At Fay Engineering most of the motion used in animation is derived from these physics-based simulations.
- Currently available animation software is more advanced in the ability to build objects and scenes to achieve photo-realism.
- Current simulation software is able to produce a dynamic visualization in a fraction of the time required for an animation.
- The best results are achieved by using both simulation and animation together. We call this Post-Processed Simulation.
Post-Processed Simulation Example:
The road and terrain was built from aerial and survey data obtained by Fay Engineering. Tire marks were created using data from police photos and site measurements. The vehicle was configured from manufacturer data. All of this computer modeling was done using 3DS Max.
The terrain and vehicle models were then used to simulate the vehicle and driver actions using EDVSM in HVE from Engineering Dynamics Corporation. The motion information was then exported back into 3DS Max, and the terrain and vehicle were texture-mapped, and the movie created.
Fay Engineering can create various Levels of Detail in the final animation, as requested by the client.
