Description:During the last decades, computer-aided engineering (CAE) methodologies have deeply changed the way of designing and developing products, systems and services. Thanks also to significant hardware and software improvements, CAE techniques are widely used by designers from the early conceptual phases up to the final stages of engineering processes. At the industry level, these methodologies have become a fundamental tool to be competitive and to ensure high quality standards. In industrial engineering, computer-aided methodologies typically are instrumental for design teams in shape modelling, behavioural simulations, digital mock-ups and realistic animations. They are able to follow the development of a product from conception to production, also managing its life-cycle. Character animation is one of the key research areas in computer graphics and multimedia. It has applications in many fields, ranging from entertainment, games, virtual presence and others. This new important book gathers the latest research from around the globe in this dynamic field.