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16 Curve Basics

Parametric curves are represented using polynomial functions of a parameter to define curves for modeling and animation. Cubic curves are commonly used which are defined by a basis matrix and geometry vector storing the coefficient values. Hermite and Bezier splines are two common types that are fully defined by specifying endpoints and tangent vectors or intermediate points, with the basis matrix relating the curve parameters to the geometry constraints. Continuity between curve segments is important, with higher order continuity enforcing smoother connections.

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51 views21 pages

16 Curve Basics

Parametric curves are represented using polynomial functions of a parameter to define curves for modeling and animation. Cubic curves are commonly used which are defined by a basis matrix and geometry vector storing the coefficient values. Hermite and Bezier splines are two common types that are fully defined by specifying endpoints and tangent vectors or intermediate points, with the basis matrix relating the curve parameters to the geometry constraints. Continuity between curve segments is important, with higher order continuity enforcing smoother connections.

Uploaded by

Tommy Kong
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Parametric Curves

Reading
Required
• Hearn & Baker, 10.6 -10.9
• Foley, 11.2
Optional
• Bartels, Beatty, and Barsky. An Introduction to Splines for use in
Computer Graphics and Geometric Modeling. 1987.
• Farin. Curves and Surfaces CAGD: A Practical Guide. 4th ed.
1997.
Curves Before Computers
• The loftsman’s or carpenter’s spline:
– long, narrow strip of wood or metal
– shaped by lead weights called “ducks”
– gives curves with second-order continuity, usually
• Used for designing cars, ships, airplanes etc.

• But curves based on physical artifacts cannot be replicated well,


since there is no exact definition of what the curve is.

• Around 1960, a lot of industrial designers were working on this


problem.
Motivation for curves
• What do we use curves for?
– building models
– movement paths
– animation
Mathematical Curve Representation
Parametric Polynomial Curves

• We’ll use parametric curves where the functions are all


polynomials in the parameter.

• Advantages
– easy (and efficient) to compute
– infinitely differentiable
Cubic Curves
• Fix n=3
• For simplicity we define each cubic function with the range

x(t) =

y(t) =

z(t) =
Compact Representation
• Place all coefficients into a matrix:
Controlling the Cubic
• Q: How many constraints do we need to specify fully to
determine the cubic Q(t)?
Constraining the Cubics
• Redefine C as a product of the basis matrix M and the 4-
element column vector of constraints or geometry vector G.
Hermite Curves
• Determined by
– endpoints P1 and P4.
– tangent vectors at the endpoints R1 and R4.
• So,
Q(t) = T Mh Gh

where
P1
P4
R1
R4
Computing Hermite Basis Matrix
• The constraints on Q(0) and Q(1) are found by direct
substitution:
P1= Q(0) = [ 0 0 0 1 ] Mh Gh
P4= Q(1) = [ 1 1 1 1 ] Mh Gh

• so constraints on tangents are


R1= Q’(0) = [ 0 0 1 0 ] Mh Gh
R4= Q’(1) = [ 3 2 1 0 ] Mh Gh

• Note: tangents are defined by


Q’(t) = [ 3t2 2t 1 0 ] Mh Gh
Computing Hermite Basis Matrix
• Collecting all constraints we get

• So
Computing a Point
• Given two endpoints (P1,P4) and two endpoint tangents (R1,R4):
Blending Functions
• Polynomials weighting each element of the geometry vector
Bezier Curves
• Indirectly specify the tangent vectors by specifying two
intermediate points.

4
Bezier Basis Matrix
• Establish the relation between the Hermite and the Bezier
geometry vectors:

hb
Bezier Basis Matrix
Bezier Blending Functions
• A.k.a. Bernstein polynomials
Continuity of Splines
• Splines: 2 or more curves are
concatentated together

• C0: points coincide, velocity don’t

• G1: points coincide, velocities


have the same direction.

• C1: points and velocities coincide.

• Q: What’s C2?
Summary
• Use of parametric functions for curve modeling
• Enforcing constraints on cubic functions
• The meaning of basis matrix and geometry vectors
• General procedure for computing the basis matrix
• Properties of Hermite and Bezier splines
• The meaning of blending functions
• Enforcing continuity across multiple curve segments

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