Synthetic motion capture: Implementing an interactive virtual marine world

Biomechanical simulation enables the realistic animation of animals in virt ual worlds, but at significant computational cost. Synthetic motion capture is a low-cost technique that prescribes (i) the capture of motion data thr ough the systematic simulation of biomechanical animal models and (ii) comp ilation of the captured data into kinematic action repertoires rich enough to support elaborate behavioral animation. Synthetic motion capture in conj unction with level-of-detail geometric modeling and object culling during r endering has enabled us to transform a system designed for the realistic of fline biomechanical/behavioral animation of artificial fishes into a real-t ime, interactive, stereoscopic, virtual undersea experience.