MISS: A Streamlined Method for an Interactive Simulation of Spinning Tops
Ronja Schnur ORCIDElmar Schömer ORCID
Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz
Computer Animation and Virtual Worlds, 2026, DOI:10.1002/cav.70176
Abstract
In this paper we present a novel, streamlined simulation method for visualizing the dynamics of spinning tops, specifically focusing on convex shapes with explicit representations. Our simulation approach contributes to the understanding of the instricate dynamics of the Gömböc by carefully building an accurate underlying mathematical model. This result, alongside the capability to model classic spinning top types, namely the Ellipsoid, Tippe Top, Euler's disk and Rattleback, emphazises the versatility of our method. Designed for ease of implementation and understanding, our approach allows for straightforward adaptation to a wide range of such shapes, making it a valuable tool for researchers, educators, and students investigating the world of spinning tops, particularly in settings with limited computational resources. Lightweight design ensures efficient execution on CPUs with single-thread processing capabilities, thus enhance educational exploration and dynamic understanding of complex rotational motion within web-based environments.
Videos
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Demos

The following demos are the test environments for the simulation method presented in the paper. The demos use Babylon.js for rendering. If you want to look at a more interactive and less technical version of the simulation, please check out the Geometry Wonderland exhibition on the Virtual Experience Space (VES).

BibTex
@article{schnur2026miss,
  author = {Schnur, Ronja and Schömer, Elmar},
  title = {MISS: A Streamlined Method for an Interactive Simulation of Spinning Tops},
  journal = {Computer Animation and Virtual Worlds},
  volume = {37},
  number = {4},
  pages = {e70176},
  doi = {https://doi.org/10.1002/cav.70176},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/cav.70176},
  eprint = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/cav.70176},
  year = {2026}
}
Institute of Computer ScienceJohannes Gutenberg University Mainz