Facial animation retargeting using an anatomical local model

Number: 11170550
Published: 2021-11-09
Filed: 2019-11-26
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: Bradley; Derek Edward, Beeler; Dominik Thabo
CPC: G06T19/20; G06T13/40; G06V40/176; G06V40/171; G06V40/16; G06T17/20
Verdict: Low Notable software
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Facial animation retargeting technique using anatomical model (granted).

Abstract

A retargeting engine automatically performs a retargeting operation. The retargeting engine generates an anatomical local model of a digital character based on performance capture data and/or a 3D model of the digital character. The anatomical local model includes an anatomical model corresponding to internal features of the digital character and a local model corresponding to external features of the digital character. The retargeting engine includes a Machine Learning model that maps a set of locations associated with the face of a performer to a corresponding set of locations associated with the face of the digital character. The retargeting engine includes a solver that modifies a set of parameters associated with the anatomical local model to cause the digital character to exhibit one or more facial expressions enacted by the performer, thereby retargeting those facial expressions onto the digital character.

Background

BACKGROUND Field of the Various Embodiments (1) The various embodiments relate generally to computer science and computer animation and, more specifically, to facial animation retargeting using an anatomical local model. Description of the Related Art (2) Certain types of computer animation pipelines include a motion capture phase and a digital rendering phase. During the motion capture phase, a human performer enacts a performance within a motion capture environment. The motion capture environment typically includes multiple video cameras that are positioned at different angles relative to the performer and are configured to capture three-dimensional (3D) motion capture data as the performer enacts the performance. Subsequently, during the digital rendering phase, digital rendering techniques are used to process the 3D motion capture data to generate a 3D geometric model of the performer enacting the performance. A computer animation of the performance is then rendered based on the 3D geometric model. (3) Computer animation pipelines also can be implemented to generate computer animations representing the faces of digital characters exhibiting various facial expressions. For example, the motion capture phase of a computer animation pipeline could be implemented to generate 3D motion capture data representing a human performer enacting a sequence of facial expressions during a performance. Subsequently, the digital rendering phase of the computer animation pipeline could be i

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for generating computer animations of digital characters, the method comprising: generating a first model of a facial area of a first character based on first geometry, wherein the first geometry represents a facial area of the first character when the first character exhibits a range of facial expressions; determining a target position for a first surface associated with the facial area of the first character based on second geometry, wherein the second geometry indicates a source position associated with a facial area of a second character when the second character enacts a first facial expression; modifying the first model until the first surface intersects the target position to generate a second model of the facial area of the first character; and rendering a computer animation of the first character based on the second model. || 11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to generate computer animations of digital characters by performing the steps of: generating a first model of a facial area of a first character based on first geometry, wherein the first geometry represents a facial area of the first character when the first character exhibits a range of facial expressions; determining a target position for a first surface associated with the facial area of the first character based on second geometry, wherein the second geometry indicates a source position associated with a facial area of a second character when the second character enacts a first facial expression; modifying the first model until the first surface intersects the target position to generate a second model of the facial area of the first character; and rendering a computer animation of the first character based on the second model. || 20. A system, comprising: a memory storing a software application; and a processor that, when executing the software application, is configured to perform the steps of: generating a first model of a facial area of a first character based on first geometry, wherein the first geometry represents a facial area of the first character when the first character exhibits a range of facial expressions, determining a target position for a first surface associated with the facial area of the first character based on second geometry, wherein the second geometry indicates a source position associated with a facial area of a second character when the second character enacts a first facial expression, modifying the first model until the first surface intersects the target position to generate a second model of the facial area of the first character, and rendering a computer animation of the first character based on the second model.