Modeling with triangular B-splines

Triangular B-splines are a new tool for modeling complex objects with nonrectangular topology. The scheme is based on blending functions and control points, and lets us model piecewise polynomial surfaces of degree n that are C/sup n-1/-continuous throughout. Triangular B-splines permit the construction of smooth surfaces with the lowest degree possible. Because they can represent any piecewise polynomial surface, they provide a unified data format. The new B-spline scheme for modeling complex irregular objects over arbitrary triangulations has many desirable features. Applications like filling polygonal holes or constructing smooth blends demonstrate its potential for dealing with concrete design problems. The method permits real-time editing and rendering. Currently, we are improving the editor to accept simpler user input, optimizing intersection computations and developing new applications.<<ETX>>