Professor of Practice
Director, Computer Graphics and Game Technology Masters Program
Department of Computer and
Information Science
School of Engineering and Applied Science
University of Pennsylvania
Email: shlane@cis.upenn.edu
Phone: 215-898-6021
Office: Levine 154
Dr. Lane is an accomplished researcher, educator and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience designing, developing and commercializing advanced 3D graphics and animation technology for use in computer games, virtual reality, and distributed simulation and training applications. Dr. Lane’s responsibilities have ranged from basic technology development to computer hardware and software design, project management and business development. He is currently an Professor of Practice in the Computer & Info Science Dept. and also President of soVoz, Inc., a company developing advanced virtual reality user interfaces for immersive training and gaming applications.
Dr. Lane received a B.S. Degree in Mechanical
and Aerospace Engineering from
Research Interests
Dr. Lane has an active research agenda with interests in the areas of physically-based character animation, embodied intelligent agents and alternative user interfaces (including virtual reality and augmented reality). Specifically, the intersection of where the fields of control theory, artificial intelligence, robotics and computer animation meet.
Teaching
Dr. Lane is currently the Director of the Computer Graphics and Game Technology (CGGT) Masters Program. Drawing on his background and experience in the computer gaming industry, Dr. Lane teaches courses on Computer Animation (CIS462/562), Advanced Topics in Computer Graphics and Animation (CIS660) and Game Design and Development (CIS564). Dr. Lane also supervises the Game Design Practicum (CIS568) which is the capstone project course required to be completed by all CGGT students.
CIS462/562: Computer Animation - provides students with a solid technical foundation for developing, animating and controlling articulated systems used in interactive computer games, virtual reality simulations and high-end animation applications. The course balances theory with practice by “looking under the hood” of a number of popular commercial animation packages and exams the technologies and techniques used from both a computer science and engineering perspective.
CIS660: Advanced Topics in Computer Graphics and Animation - exposes students to the current state-of-the-art of research in the fields of computer graphics and animation in a seminar-like setting.
CIS564: Computer Game Design and Development - provides students with a solid theoretical understanding of the core creative principles, concepts, and game play structures and schemas underlying most game designs. The course also examines game development from an engineering point of view, including: game play mechanics, game engine software and hardware architectures, user interfaces, design documents, play testing and production methods.
CIS568: Game Design Practicum - provides students with an opportunity to create a orginal game prototype by applying what they have learned about graphics, animation and game design in CIS560, CIS562 and CIS564.