Eric Galin

Extending the CSG Tree. Warping, Blending and Boolean Operations in an Implicit Surface Modeling System

Automatic blending has characterized the major advantage of implicit surface modeling systems. Recently, the introduction of deformations based on space warping and Boolean operations between primitives has increased the usefulness of such systems. We propose a further enhancement which will extend the range of models that can be easily and intuitively defined with a skeletal implicit surface system. We describe a hierarchical method which allows arbitrary compositions of models that make use of blending, warping and Boolean operations. We call this structure the BlobTree. Blending and space warping are treated in the same way as union, difference and intersection, i.e. as nodes in the BlobTree. The traversal of the BlobTree is described along with two rendering algorithms; a polygonizer and a ray tracer. We present some examples of interesting models which can be made easily using our approach that would be very difficult to represent with conventional systems.

Adaptive Implicit Surface Polygonization Using Marching Triangles

This paper presents several improvements to the marching triangles algorithm for general implicit surfaces. The original method generates equilateral triangles of constant size almost everywhere on the surface. We present several modifications to adapt the size of the triangles to the curvature of the surface. As cracks may arise in the resulting polygonization, we propose a specific crack‐closing method invoked at the end of the mesh growing step. Eventually, we show that the marching triangles can be used as an incremental meshing technique in an interactive modeling environment. In contrast to existing incremental techniques based on spatial subdvision, no extra data‐structure is needed to incrementally edit skeletal implicit surfaces, which saves both memory and computation time.

Arches: a Framework for Modeling Complex Terrains

In this paper, we present a framework for representing complex terrains with such features as overhangs, arches and caves and including different materials such as sand and rocks. Our hybrid model combines a volumetric discrete data structure that stores the different materials and an implicit representation for sculpting and reconstructing the surface of the terrain. Complex scenes can be edited and sculpted interactively with high level tools. We also propose an original rock generation technique that enables us to automatically generate complex rocky sceneries with piles of rocks without any computationally demanding physically‐based simulation.

Feature based terrain generation using diffusion equation

This paper presents a diffusion method for generating terrains from a set of parameterized curves that characterize the landform features such as ridge lines, riverbeds or cliffs. Our approach provides the user with an intuitive vector‐based feature‐oriented control over the terrain. Different types of constraints (such as elevation, slope angle and roughness) can be attached to the curves so as to define the shape of the terrain. The terrain is generated from the curve representation by using an efficient multigrid diffusion algorithm. The algorithm can be efficiently implemented on the GPU, which allows the user to interactively create a vast variety of landscapes.

Simulating and modeling lichen growth

This paper presents a system for modeling lichens and simulating their propagation and growth in a virtual scene. Lichens colonize almost every substrate in nature and play an important role in the visual appearance of a natural object. The propagation of lichens over the substrate is performed by an Open Diffusion Limited Aggregation model constrained by the characteristics of the environment. The designer can control the development of lichens with simple parameters. Rendering the complex geometry and texture of lichens is achieved by instantiating three dimensional lichen models stored in an atlas of shapes created after real world images. The lichens obtained by our approach considerably increase the realism of complex natural scenes.

Procedural Generation of Roads

In this paper, we propose an automatic method for generating roads based on a weighted anisotropic shortest path algorithm. Given an input scene, we automatically create a path connecting an initial and a final point. The trajectory of the road minimizes a cost function that takes into account the different parameters of the scene including the slope of the terrain, natural obstacles such as rivers, lakes, mountains and forests. The road is generated by excavating the terrain along the path and instantiating generic parameterized models.

Terrain generation using procedural models based on hydrology

We present a framework that allows quick and intuitive modeling of terrains using concepts inspired by hydrology. The terrain is generated from a simple initial sketch, and its generation is controlled by a few parameters. Our terrain representation is both analytic and continuous and can be rendered by using varying levels of detail. The terrain data are stored in a novel data structure: a construction tree whose internal nodes define a combination of operations, and whose leaves represent terrain features. The framework uses rivers as modeling elements, and it first creates a hierarchical drainage network that is represented as a geometric graph over a given input domain. The network is then analyzed to construct watersheds and to characterize the different types and trajectories of rivers. The terrain is finally generated by combining procedural terrain and river patches with blending and carving operators.

Interactive implicit modeling with hierarchical spatial caching

Complex implicit CSG models can be represented hierarchically as a tree of nodes (the BlobTree) . However, current methods cannot be used to visualize changes made to these models at interactive rates due to the large number of potential field evaluations required. A hierarchical spatial caching technique is presented which accelerates evaluations of the potential function. This method introduces the concept of a caching node inserted into the implicit model tree. Caching nodes store exact potential field values at the vertices of a voxel grid and rely on tri-linear and tri-quadratic reconstruction filters to locally approximate the potential field of a sub-tree. A lazy evaluation scheme is used to avoid expensive pre-computation. Polygonization timings with and without caching are compared for a complex model undergoing manipulation in an interactive modeling tool. An order-of-magnitude improvement in visualization time is achieved for complex implicit models containing thousands of primitives.

Modeling cracks and fractures

This paper presents an interactive method for modeling cracks and fractures over a variety of materials such as glass, metal, wood, and stone. Existing physically based techniques are computationally demanding and lack control over the fracture propagation. Our approach consists in editing 2D fracture pattern and profile curves which are stored in an atlas according to material type. The fracture model is then automatically mapped onto the surface of the object and fractures are created by carving out a procedurally generated swept volume. Because the objects need not be voxelized or tetrahedralized as with physically based techniques, we are not limited in resolution when creating the geometry of cracks, which enables us to model small or very thin fractures.

Incremental Polygonization of Implicit Surfaces

This paper describes an incremental polygonization technique for implicit surfaces built from skeletal elements. Our method is dedicated to fast previewing in an interactive modeling system environment. We rely on an octree decomposition of space combined with Lipschitz conditions to recursively subdivide cells until a given level of precision is reached and converge to the implicit surface. We use a trilinear interpolation approximation of the field function to create a topologically consistent tessellation characterized by an adjacency graph. Our algorithm aims at updating the mesh locally in regions of space where changes in the potential field occurred. Therefore, we propose an octree inflating and deflating strategy to preserve the octree structure as much as possible and to avoid useless or redundant computations. Timings show that our incremental algorithm dramatically speeds up the overall polygonization process for complex objects.