The control of hovering flight for computer animation

By combining control mechanisms and physically-based models of articulated, rigid body systems, we hope to simplify the task of generating realistic articulated motion for computer animations. As an example of this approach, we have developed a control system and a physically-realistic model to animate the hovering flight of a hummingbird. The computer model of the bird is based on the physical parameters of hummingbirds reported in the biomechanics literature. The animator specifies the desired location of the bird and the control system manipulates the model so that the aerodynamic forces acting on the wings propel the bird to satisfy that goal.