Book reivew: Simulating Humans: Computer Graphics Animation and Control by Norman I. Badler, Cary B. Phillips, and Bonnie L. Webber (Oxford University Press, 1993)

This book describes a continuing research effort at the University of Pennsylvania to model and control simulated humanoid figures. Profs. Badler and Webber have directed this work for many years; Dr. Phillips did his Ph.D. work under Prof. Badler. The Badler-Webber tandem was one of the first examples of what is now something of a trend in academe---collaboration between researchers in computer graphics and AI, especially natural-language processing. At Penn, this collaboration has focused on the long-term goal of:• creating a biomechanically realistic human model;• facilitating behavioral control of the model; and• using natural language to guide and instruct the model.