Walking with Java - The First Steps
Java3D has brought the ability to draw and animate complex 3D shapes to anyone who has a PC and can program.
While still not easy, the web is full of articles, examples and tutorials to help you on your way.
Having mastered the basic 3D shapes and textures, the next stage was animation. I wanted to make an android walk and this presented a new set of problems. Cartoon animation allows limbs to change shape to correct inaccuracies in the walk. Animation of a 3D android required a proper walk sequence. Back to the Web.
I eventually found the following web site.
Human Gait Analysis
I took limb angle measurements from the strip of pictures on this site
and put them into a spreadsheet. The result was not too good.
I then used digital smoothing routines - written in Java - to remove the kinks.
The curves I had now looked very similar to those on Paul Flavin's web pages. The next step was to code these results into a Java routine and try a simple animation. In my searching of the Web for information I had found the following site :-
Walking Animation Study by JD Handcock
This is a brilliant piece of animation.
On with the coding. My walking routine included height and distance calculations based on which part of which foot was on the ground. A simple animation was then written, with the help of a GIF routine from Kerry Shetline.
Continue with Stop Start Stop Start
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