CSC 2521 Calendar

Note: the schedule is subject to change.
DayTopicReadings
Tue, Sep 9    Introduction and basic mechanics
  • Introduction
  • Marion and Thornton, Chapter 2
Tue, Sep 16    Oscillations, Calculus of Variations, Lagrangian Mechanics
  • Marion and Thornton, Chapters 3.1-3.5, 6, 7.1-7.6
Tue, Sep 23    Paper discussion
  • S. H. Collins, A. L. Ruina, R. Tedrake, M. Wisse, Efficient bipedal robots based on passive-dynamic Walkers, Science, 307: 1082-1085, 2005 [web]
    R. M. Alexander. Walking Made Simple. Science (Perspectives). 2005. [paper] [enhanced web version]
    Background: T. McGeer. Passive Dynamic Walking. IJRR 1990. [paper] [video] [Patrick]
  • R. J. Full, D. E. Koditschek. Templates and Anchors: Neuromechanical Hypotheses of Legged Locomotion on Land. J. Exp. Biology. 202:3325-3332 (1999). [paper] [Peter]
  • S. J. Gould, R. C. Lewontin. The Spandrels of San Marco and the Panglossian Paradigm: A Critique of the Adaptationist Programme. Proc. Royal Society London B, 1979. [paper] [Andy]
  • R. M. Alexander. Design By Numbers. Nature. Aug 9, 2001 [web] [paper]
    W. J. Sutherland. The best solution. Nature. June 2, 2005. [paper] [Jonathan]
Tue, Sep 30    Dynamics of particle systems, Rigid-Body Mechanics
  • Marion and Thornton, Chapters 9.1-9.5, 11.1-11.4
Tue, Oct 7    Paper discussion
  • K. Sims. Evolving Virtual Creatures. SIGGRAPH 1994. [web] [Vangelis]
  • A. Witkin, M. Kass. Spacetime constraints. SIGGRAPH 1988 [paper] [video] [Igor]
  • Z. Popović, A. Witkin. Physically-Based Motion Transformation. SIGGRAPH 99 [web] [Dustin]
  • C. K. Liu, A. Hertzmann, Z. Popović. Learning Physics-Based Motion Style with Nonlinear Inverse Optimization. SIGGRAPH 2005. [web] [Adrian]
Tue, Oct 14    No class  
Tue, Oct 21    Articulated rigid body simulation (Martin)
  • R. Featherstone, D. E. Orin. Robot Dynamics: Equations and Algorithms. ICRA 2000. pp. 826-834. [paper] Skip sections 3.4 and 3.5
  • Recommended: E. Kokkevis, Practical Physics for Articulated Characters. GDC 2004 tutorial. [paper] Read up to Section 4
  • Recommended: B. Mirtich, PhD thesis, Chapter 4. [thesis]
Tue, Oct 28    Paper discussion
  • J. L. Hodgins, W. L. Wooten, D. C. Brogan, J. F. O'Brien. Animating Human Athletics. SIGGRAPH 95. [paper] [Peter]
  • P. Faloutsos, M. van de Panne, and D. Terzopoulos. Composable Controllers for Physics-Based Character Animation. SIGGRAPH 2001. [paper] [Chris]
  • K. Yin, K. Loken, M. van de Panne. SIMBICON: Simple Biped Locomotion Control. SIGGRAPH 2007. [web] [Andy]
  • M. da Silva, Y. Abe, J. Popović. Interactive Simulation of Stylized Human Locomotion. SIGGRAPH 2008. [paper] [video] [Jonathan]
Tue, Nov 4    A* search, reinforcement learning, LQG, policy gradient
  • R. S. Barto and A. G. Sutton. Reinforcement Learning: An Introduction, 1998. [PDF] [HTML] Read sections 1-1.5, 3, 4-4.5, 5-5.1, 6-6.3, 6.5-6.6,7.3
  • J. Peters, S. Schaal. Policy Gradient Methods for Robotics. IROS 2006. [paper] Read up to Section IIA (inclusive)
  • Recommended: E. Todorov. A Mathematical Introduction to Optimal Control Theory. [PDF] Section 4.2
Tue, Nov 11    Paper discussion
  • R. A. Brooks. Intelligence Without Representation. Artificial Intelligence 47 (1991) 139-159. [PDF] [Chris]
  • S.M. LaValle and J.J. Kuffner. Randomized Kinodynamic Planning. Int. Journal or Robotics Research. Vol 5, No. 8. May 2001. [web] [RRT page 1] [RRT page 2] [Igor]
  • S. Coros, P. Beaudoin, K. Yin, M. van de Panne. Synthesis of Constrained Walking Skills. SIGGRAPH Asia 2008. [web] [Peter]
  • J. Z. Kolter, M. Rodgers and A. Y. Ng. A Complete Control Architecture for Quadruped Locomotion Over Rough Terrain. ICRA 2008. [pdf] [Seok-Hyung]
Tue, Nov 18    Paper discussion
  • C. Harris and D. Wolpert. Signal-dependent noise determines motor planning. Nature, 394:780-784, 1998. [paper] [Jonathan]
  • K. P. Körding, D. Wolpert. Bayesian Integration in Sensorimotor Learning, Nature 427:244-247 (2004) [paper] [Igor]
  • J. Laszlo, M. Neff, K. Singh. Predictive Feedback for Interactive Control of Physics-based Characters. EG 2005. [paper] [Chris]
  • T. Shiratori and J. K. Hodgins. Accelerometer-based User Interfaces for the Control of a Physically Simulated Character. SIGGRAPH Asia 2008. [web] [Andy]
Tue, Nov 25    Paper discussion
  • P. G. Kry, L. Reveret, F. Faure, M.-P.Cani. Animating Virtual Character Locomotion and Other Oscillatory Motions. SIGGRAPH 2007 sketch [PDF] [Vangelis]
  • M. Kass and J. Anderson. Animating Oscillatory Motion With Overlap: Wiggly Splines. SIGGRAPH 2008. [web] [Patrick]
  • S. I. Park and J. Hodgins. Data-driven Modeling of Skin and Muscle Deformation. SIGGRAPH 2008. [web] [Vangelis]
Tue, Dec 2    No class