Generating textured polygon strip hair from strand-based hair for a virtual character

This invention describes a way to make realistic virtual hair for computer characters that can be rendered quickly, like in video games. It starts with very detailed digital hair made of thousands of individual strands. The system then converts these detailed strands into simpler, textured flat strips that still look like hair, making them much easier for a computer to display in real-time, with the claims specifically focusing on creating these strips so they closely follow the original curves of the individual hair strands.