Computer Animation Techniques for Use in Collision Reconstruction

The use of computer animation in the analysis of automobile collisions provides a reconstructionist the ability to ‘see’ an object from any perspective and visually depict its movement in three-dimensional space. Although many computer animation programs are currently available, none of these off-the-shelf software and hardware combinations are directed specifically at animating vehicle or occupant motion in conjunction with a collision. Many computer programs, specifically created for modeling vehicle or occupant motion, are available, but these typically do not create visual images with the detail offered in computer animation programs. Analysts can generate the data for computer animation by using collision simulation programs along with computer spreadsheets. Techniques for calculating the data required for computer animation are discussed in this paper.