Output details

Morphological shape generation through user-controlled group metamorphosis

Originality - This paper presents new results in an area of morphological shape design which is the computer-aided design of new objects by using a set of existing objects belonging to the same class. The paper generalises a technique of feature-based metamorphosis where the correspondence between parts of the source objects is defined by user. The generalisation includes morphing with an arbitrary collection of input shapes, a variety of deformations and arbitrary feature elements. As a result, the presented method results in many more possible shapes combinations and relationships as well as wide user control that is not possible in most existing systems.

Significance - The method presented in the paper allows the user to have a significant control over the parameters of the metamorphosis. The user control allows to set up and modify all the parameters of group metamorphosis, feature shapes, morphing methods and deformation and hence to obtain the desired shapes in more artist-friendly way comparing to existing methods. The presented method was implemented as a plug-in for Maya which was used by an industrial designer to produce the physical objects for the out-of-hand exhibition in Museum of Arts and Design, New York.

Rigour - Mathematical definition used in the paper generalises the formulation of existing methods. The paper uses real-life objects, such as chairs, to present the method and show the advantages of the presented technique.