An introductory undergraduate course in biomechanics and computer graphics is being developed, geared toward enhancing general computer literacy with regards to human motion modeling. A course goal is to encourage students to assume responsibility for their intellectual development through active learning and independent investigation. With both a lecture and laboratory component, the course emphasizes the analytical development of kinematic models, the acquisition of kinematic data with laboratory experiments and the use of computer graphics techniques for human motion rendering. An educational software tool, Biomechanica, is being developed as a multipurpose dynamic simulation program with a user-friendly programming interface. The personal computer is an inexpensive medium for educating our future engineers, scientists, and medical practitioners about the physiological capabilities of the human body. The use of computer graphics in biomechanics usually occurs at the graduate level. This course and software development effort make these topics accessible to lower division students.
