Dust and water splashing models for hopping figures

To enhance the realism of computer animation sequences, the interaction between autonomous creatures and their environment needs to be modeled. Two such commonly occurring phenomena, dust and water splashing on impact, are presented. These pseudo dynamic models, based on particle system concepts, are designed for hoppers with approximately elliptical bases. The proposed models can be extended for use with multi-legged creatures. The dust model is parameterized by creature dimensions, soil particle dimensions and wind direction. The water splashing model is parameterized by creature dimensions and water film thickness. Explicit control of behavioral parameters of both models is also provided to allow application specific usage.