Dinos

Dinos Tsiknis

Department of Computer Science, University of British Columbia

M.Sc. University of British Columbia, 2006.

B.Sc. University of British Columbia, 2004.

Email: dtsiknis [at] cs [dot] ubc [dot] ca

Supervised by Robert Bridson


About Me

I recently completed my M.Sc. in computer science supervised by Robert Bridson. My main research area is physics-based animation. While my current research is focused on cloth animation, I am also interested in anything to do with fluids, deformable and rigid bodies, time integration techniques, sketch-based 3D modeling, and various scientific computing topics.

Curriculum Vitae


Research

My M.Sc. thesis which encompasses both of the following topics can be found here.

Cloth With Physics-aware Subdivision

We present a method for producing a high resolution cloth animation by simulating a coarse mesh and subdividing the cloth surface. Standard subdivision schemes do not provide the folding and wrinkling detail that is implied but not represented on the coarse mesh. We instead use a physics-based quasi-static method, where we compute a displacement map which minimizes the potential energy of the fine mesh. This can naturally produce correct buckling wrinkles and folds where the coarse mesh compresses. We note this provides a satisfying connection back to the original mechanical splines that inspired computational splines and subdivision schemes.

Physics-aware subdivision

SCA 2006 Poster Abstract(As it appears in the SCA 2006 Poster Proceedings)

SCA 2006 Poster

Unbiased Strain Limiting

We propose a physically correct strain limiting method that is both order and mesh independent. Our method is a post processor which can be bootstrapped with any reasonable time integration technique in order to maintain the stability of the system. Taking the end state of the external time integration step as input to the system, we compute an initial guess of the internal impulse forces of the cloth system. We then apply these impulses element-by-element creating a disjoint set of elements that have moved independently from each other. The final solution is stitched together as a least squares approximation to the set of individually time integrated elements.
Other Stuff

Soccer

I currently play for PrimoF.C. We play in the Vancouver Metro Soccer League during winter (Sep-Apr) and the Multicultural Soccer League in the summer (Apr-Aug). Yes we play year round and yes I am a soccer (pronounced "futbol") nut and can't get enough of it.

Other

When not working or playing soccer I can be found in the gym, playing the piano, drawing or enjoying the Vancouver night life.