[Algorithms] Skeletal Animation...

[Brandon M. <the...@us...>]

Hello.

I was wondering if anyone had links to some good skeletal animation
techniques and perhaps some information about the kinematics involved.

For example, if I was a model to have a ponytail which moves realistically.
Given gravity and the mass of my character, I should be able to generate the
normal force produced by walking (feet hitting the ground).

Assuming the ponytail is just a couple bones end-to-end sharing intermediate
vertices, the problem I arrive at is the way to correctly propogate a force
applied at the origin vertex (ie the one connecting the ponytail to the
head) down into the other vertices.

Any possible links would be great.  I heard that someone wrote quite a few
papers on the physics involved in this, but I can't remember his name
exactly.  I know his last name is something like Mirich, but thats not quite
it.

Thanx!
Brandon Moro