Numerical and Geometric Algorithms for Virtual Practical Effects

在我们2010年的《科学》文章中，我们创造了“虚拟实际效果”这个术语，来描述技术艺术家创造数字效果的一种新兴方法。在基于物理的模拟技术的支持下，艺术家可以利用他们对真实的世界的知识（和自然直觉）来虚拟地构建“物理”机制，从而创造出所需的效果。与在较低水平上费力地对每一种现象进行建模相比，虚拟实际效果已经显示出更高的生产力。例如，在《阿凡达》中，同步的海浪是由模仿真实的物体的虚拟波浪发生器产生的，在我们编写的物理模拟水中运行。这种方法仍处于起步阶段：我的研究计划解决了仍然阻碍视觉效果革命的算法挑战。 部分研究将致力于核心低级别算法，例如有效地解决（多）物理模拟中出现的线性和非线性系统，或者随着时间的推移准确而稳健地跟踪详细的表面。研究的另一部分涉及更有效或更有能力的物理现象数值模型，如深海波浪与船只相互作用，固体物体破裂或薄膜气泡变形。 视觉特效行业在加拿大非常重要，并且发展迅速，加拿大已经在开发3D动画软件（例如Maya，Houdini）方面处于世界领先地位。该计划将建立在我过去在这些行业的研究成功，推动进一步增长。从长远来看，它也代表着将视觉效果能力带给任何有艺术天赋和故事可讲的人的重要一步-但不是与低水平技术效果工作搏斗的时间或倾向。最终，对真实的世界的有效保真度和非数值倾向用户手中的鲁棒性的相同目标适用于更广泛的问题，特别是将数值模拟原型带到自己动手/制造革命中。

In our 2010 Science article, we coined the term 'virtual practical effects' to describe an emerging methodology for technical artists to create digital effects. Supported by physics-based simulation technology, artists can use their knowledge of (and natural intuition for) the real world to virtually build 'physical' mechanisms that create the desired effects. Virtual practical effects has already shown much greater productivity compared to laboriously modelling every phenomenon at a lower level. For example, synchronized crashing ocean waves in 'Avatar' were produced by virtual wave generators modelled after the real thing, running in a physical simulation of the water we wrote. This approach is still in its infancy: my research program tackles the algorithmic challenges still standing in the way of a visual effects revolution. Part of the research will be dedicated to core low level algorithms, such as efficiently solving the linear and nonlinear systems arising in (multi-)physics simulations, or accurately and robustly tracking a detailed surface as it evolves through time. The other part of the research is concerned with more efficient or more capable numerical models of physical phenomena, like deep ocean waves interacting with boats, solid objects fracturing, or the deformation of thin film bubbles. The visual effects industry is important and rapidly growing within Canada, and Canada already leads the world in developing 3D animation software (e.g. Maya, Houdini). This program will build on my past research success in these industries, fuelling further growth. In the longer term, it also represents an important step in bringing visual effects capability to anyone with artistic talent and a story to tell - but not the time or inclination to wrestle with low-level technical effects work. Ultimately, the same goals of efficient fidelity to the real world and robustness in the hands of non-numerically-inclined users apply to much broader problems, in particular bringing numerical simulation prototyping to the do-it-yourself/maker revolution.