Quaternions for Computer Graphics (Paperback)

If you have ever wondered what quaternions are -- then look no further, John Vince will show you how simple and useful they are. This 2nd edition has been completely revised and includes extra detail on the invention of quaternions, a complete review of the text and equations, all figures are in colour, extra worked examples, an expanded index, and a bibliography arranged for each chapter.

Quaternions for Computer Graphics includes chapters on number sets and algebra, imaginary and complex numbers, the complex plane, rotation transforms, and a comprehensive description of quaternions in the context of rotation. The book will appeal to students of computer graphics, computer science and mathematics, as well as programmers, researchers, academics and professional practitioners interested in learning about quaternions.

John Vince explains in an easy-to-understand language, with the aid of useful figures, how quaternions emerged, gave birth to modern vector analysis, disappeared, and reemerged to be adopted by the flight simulation industry and computer graphics. This book will give you the confidence to use quaternions within your every-day mathematics, and explore more advanced texts.

如果你曾經想過什麼是四元數，那麼不用再尋找了，John Vince將向你展示它們是多麼簡單和有用。這本第二版已經完全修訂，包括關於四元數發明的額外細節，對文本和方程式的完整回顧，所有圖片都是彩色的，額外的實例，擴展的索引，以及按章節排列的參考書目。

《電腦圖形學中的四元數》包括有關數字集合和代數、虛數和複數、複數平面、旋轉變換以及在旋轉背景下對四元數的全面描述的章節。這本書將吸引電腦圖形學、計算機科學和數學的學生，以及對學習四元數感興趣的程序員、研究人員、學者和專業從業人員。

John Vince用易於理解的語言，並輔以有用的圖片，解釋了四元數的出現，如何催生現代向量分析，消失，然後再次出現並被飛行模擬行業和電腦圖形學所採用。這本書將使你有信心在日常數學中使用四元數，並探索更高級的文獻。

Professor John Vince began working in computer graphics at Middlesex Polytechnic in 1968. His research activities centered on computer animation software and resulted in the PICASO and PRISM animation systems. Whilst at Middlesex, he designed the UK's first MSc course in Computer Graphics and developed a popular program of short courses in computer animation for television designers. In 1986 he joined Rediffusion Simulation as a Research Consultant and worked on the development of real-time computer systems for commercial flight simulators. In 1992 he was appointed Chief Scientist of Thomson Training Simulation Ltd. In 1995 he was appointed Professor of Digital Media at the National Centre for Computer Animation at Bournemouth University and in 1999 he was made Head of Academic Group for Computer Animation. He was awarded a DSc by Brunel University in recognition of his work in computer graphics. He has written and edited over 45 books on computer graphics, computer animation, computer science and virtual reality, including the following Springer titles:

- Mathematics for Computer Graphics, 5^th edition (2017)

- Calculus for Computer Graphics, 2^nd edition (2019)

- Imaginary Mathematics for Computer Science, (2018)

- Foundation Mathematics for Computer Science, 2^nd edition (2015)

- Matrix Transforms for Computer Games and Animation (2012)

- Expanding the Frontiers of Visual Analytics and Visualization (2012)

- Quaternions for Computer Graphics (2011)

- Rotation Transforms for Computer Graphics (2011)

- Geometric Algebra: An Algebraic System for Computer Animation and Games (2009)

- Geometric Algebra for Computer Graphics (2008)

約翰·文斯教授於1968年在Middlesex Polytechnic開始從事電腦圖形學的工作。他的研究活動主要集中在電腦動畫軟體上，並開發了PICASO和PRISM動畫系統。在Middlesex期間，他設計了英國第一個電腦圖形學碩士課程，並為電視設計師開發了一個受歡迎的電腦動畫短期課程。1986年，他加入了Rediffusion Simulation擔任研究顧問，並參與了商業飛行模擬器的實時電腦系統開發工作。1992年，他被任命為Thomson Training Simulation Ltd的首席科學家。1995年，他被任命為波恩茅斯大學國家電腦動畫中心的數位媒體教授，並於1999年成為電腦動畫學術團隊的負責人。他因在電腦圖形學領域的工作而獲得了布魯內爾大學頒發的DSc學位。他撰寫和編輯了超過45本關於電腦圖形學、電腦動畫、計算機科學和虛擬現實的書籍，其中包括以下Springer出版的書籍:
- 《Mathematics for Computer Graphics, 5th edition (2017)》
- 《Calculus for Computer Graphics, 2nd edition (2019)》
- 《Imaginary Mathematics for Computer Science (2018)》
- 《Foundation Mathematics for Computer Science, 2nd edition (2015)》
- 《Matrix Transforms for Computer Games and Animation (2012)》
- 《Expanding the Frontiers of Visual Analytics and Visualization (2012)》
- 《Quaternions for Computer Graphics (2011)》
- 《Rotation Transforms for Computer Graphics (2011)》
- 《Geometric Algebra: An Algebraic System for Computer Animation and Games (2009)》
- 《Geometric Algebra for Computer Graphics (2008)》