When it comes to accurately representing the world in 3D, animators face many challenges. Phenomena in the natural world (think water, plants, fire, clouds, etc.) often move in complex and unpredictable ways that can be difficult to mimic virtually. That’s why software engineers at the University of Bath have developed an animation program that helps animators model the movement of windswept trees. [video after jump]
Check out this unbelievable TED Talk from Blaise Aguera, where he demonstrates Photosynth, a revolutionary way to meld images together and create data-rich 3D, digital models of our surroundings.
Blinky, Inky, Pinky and Clyde have been recently incarnated in the form of Roombas. A group of engineering students from the University of Colorado have created an automated, real-life Pac-Man game in order to test out their Unmanned Aerial System software (which would help track and guide aircrafts). Video after the jump.
Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace was born in 1815 to famous British poet Lord Byron and his wife, Annabella. Her parents provided her with a rich education in science and mathematics, both of which Ada showed incredible aptitude for from an early age.
Google Earth, the software that uses satellite imagery to create stunning views of our planet (from whole continents to your own backyard) may be in store for an upgrade. Researchers from Georgia Tech have devised a way to animate these pictures in real time, using algorithms that track moving objects such as cars and pedestrians. [PopSci]
