2012 Bellairs Workshop on Computer Animation:
Pseudospectral Optimal Control for Character Animation

Sponsored by

When

March 13-16, 2012

Arrival: Saturday 10
Departure: Saturday 17

Where

Bellairs Research Institute

Participants

Schedule

Photos

photos by Sylvain Paris

      

Description

This is the fourth Bellairs Workshop on Computer Animation. This year the focus will be on pseudospectral methods for optimal control, and will start with a two day course by invited speaker Anil V. Rao. The goal of the workshop is to explore the application of optimal control methods in computer animation of physically based characters. The invited talk at this workshop is made possible by sponsorship from GRAND.

The workshop will consist of a variety of activities, including talks, breakout sessions for participants to discuss topics in small groups, and a session for interactive demos. There will also be plenty of time for informal discussions. Additionally, the Bellairs facilities are relatively primitive (and inexpensive), so there are few distractions such as those typically found in hotels.

Accommodation is very basic (in some cases double occupancy), and with meals costs between 70 and 85 USD per day. Reservations must be made through the workshop organizers. Due to space limitations, participation at the workshop is by invitation only.

The workshop will take place at McGill University's Bellairs Research Institute and will be held Tuesday 13 to Friday 16 February. Participants can plan to arrive as early as Saturday March 10 as rooms are available at the institue for the whole week. Departure should be planned for Satruday March 17.

ParticipantsSchedule
Tuesday 13 March

6:07 Sunrise
8:00 Breakfast
8:30 Welcome, information, and introductions
8:45 Part 1: Calculus of Variations (90 min)
10:15 bio break
10:30 Part 2: Optimal Control Theory (90 min)
12:00 Lunch
14:30 Part 3: Nonlinear Optimization (90 min)
16:00 bio break
16:15 Part 4: Numerical Methods for Optimal Control (90 min)
17:45 break before dinner
18:09 Sunset
18:30 Dinner 

Wednesday 14 March

6:06 Sunrise
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 Part 5: Numerical Integration and Interpolation (60 min)
10:00 bio break
10:15 Part 6: Foundation of Pseudospectral Methods (60 min)
11:15 Part 7.1: Implementation of a Pseudospectral Method (60 min) 
12:15 Lunch
15:15 Part 7.2: Implementation of a Pseudospectral Method (60 min)
16:15 bio break
16:30 Part 8: Numerical Methods for Optimal Control (90 min)
17:30 break before dinner
18:09 Sunset
18:30 Dinner at Bellairs

Thursday 15 March

6:06 Sunrise
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 Morning session: Work on problems, breakout sessions
12:00 Lunch 
15:00 Afternoon session: 
18:09 Sunset
18:30 Dinner at Bellairs
20:00 Evening Session, 10 minute research meetings

Friday 16 March

6:05 Sunrise
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 Morning session: Reseach Talks (Petros, Victor, Paul)
12:00 Lunch 
17:00 Depart for dinner at Oistens Bay

Saturday 17 March

9:00 Breakfast
12:00 Departure for afternoon flights

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