Programming and animation

Rigid body tracking

For the studio we use our inhouse software and tools.
For example, processing of points cloud.

One of the most important algorithms, which connects the entire processing of the skeleton – the tracking of rigid bodies. I have attached the recording video demonstrating the work of tracking a set of points.

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SkeletonBuilder WIP

In development there is a tool to fit the skeleton \ mocap actor under a set of points, including a precise calibration using ROM file.

* ROM – range of motion

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MotionBuilder 2011 and MoCap

I have tried the trial version of the MoBu 2011, it was interesting to see, what it represents in the new feature – mocap straight to the bones. It turned out that this is a normal device plug-in, which receives from the server location and rotation of the bones and write them in the appropriate channels of the bones. The difference from the same MotionBuilder 2010 that it became possible to record data in animation channel in the global coordinate system. A new method SetBufferType (bool bGlobal) allows you to switch between global and local record. By the way this innovation can be useful in the design constraints, not just devices.

It remains now to expect updates plug-ins for the transfer of the skeleton from the mocap software into MotionBuilder.

Another thing I noticed in the OR SDK, so that presence fbmath.h – mathematical functions. I wonder in which version of MoBu they appear, because I have written my own.

Retarget prop MoCap animation (+ Video tutor)

Actor is rarely recorded in splendid isolation, usually in the hand he holds an object, which is called the prop. This object has its own set of markers, often three is enough, and these markers are moving close to the actor. But the difficulty begins when the actor retarget into a character who has a totally different scale and proportion. And here, if for parts of the body retarget you can do automaticly, then, for all the additional facilities will have to do everything “by hands”. Although if you look at action space property in the character settings, there appears counted on the scale of the character to an actor.

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Fixing Feet Sliding

I want to tell about quite popular issue of the MoCap animation – feet sliding effect, and how to fix it in MotionBuilder by several ways.

First of all, through the algorithm of feet stabilization and feet contact on the floor, and of course through self-editing by hand.

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Markers renamer script by the UIBuilder

Utility to rename a set of markers. Was used in the production for the standardization of naming a set of markers of diverse sources mocap data. In particular, if the animation shot with the same person, it is not necessary for each of them to do different MoBu Actor, it is enough to observe the unity of naming markers and can be combined animation with the scene had once trained actor.

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Build you own Actor

Small model plugin for MotionBuilder, that will gives you possibility to operate with actor’s body parts as normal objects in scene.

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How MoCap Works on Brad’s FIE Blog

Recently I have found an interesting blog with the analysis of technologies, materials and algorithms for optical motion capture. In particular site you’ll find interesting articles on the reconstruction of 3D position of the point of a set of 2D image from cameras; information about the markers and reflective ability, as well as review of the most popular solutions for tracking points and calculate trajectories of markers.

Blog is here.

Girl MoCap test animations

I have uploaded two small mocap animation, dance and fashion shows.

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MoCap Animation: kick test

In the continuation of a series of mocap animations.

This animation is presented as a test and does not purport to implement a real impact.

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