- Number
- 20170132827
- Published
- 2017-05-11
- Filed
- 2015-11-10
- Assignee
- DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
- Inventors
- Tena; Jose Rafael, Bradley; Derek, Beeler; Thabo, Snoddy; Jon, Ayala; Alfredo, Matthews; Iain, Martin; Anthony, Watson; Scott F.
- CPC
- G06T17/20; G06T13/40
- Verdict
- High Notable software
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
Stabilizes 3D character topology mesh data by removing translational/rotational motion, as part of a data-driven design and animation pipeline for animatronics.
Abstract
There is provided a method for use by a system including a hardware processor and a memory storing a three-dimensional (3D) character data having a topology mesh describing a character. The method includes stabilizing the 3D character data by removing a translational motion and a rotational motion from the 3D character data, determining a range of motion of a plurality of points of the topology mesh describing the character, identifying a plurality of poses for generating an animation, where each of the plurality of poses includes a unique configuration of the plurality of points of the topology mesh, and creating an animatronic including a plurality of actuators configured to instantiate the plurality of poses for generating the animation.
Background
Animatronics are robotic characters brought to life by designers and animators who create lifelike imitations of human and animated characters, used in movie special effects and theme parks. Conventional animatronic design and animation are difficult, time-consuming, and expensive: designers manually design an animatronic character, then animators manually adjust actuators to achieve poses and create many sequential poses for lifelike motion — leaving viewers unsatisfied with an approximation limited by designer/animator interpretation. This disclosure covers systems and methods for data-driven design and animation of animatronics.
Claims
**1.** A method for use by a system including a hardware processor and a memory storing a three-dimensional (3D) character data having a topology mesh describing a character, the method comprising: stabilizing, using the hardware processor, the 3D character data, wherein the stabilizing includes removing a translational motion and a rotational motion from the 3D character data; determining, using the hardware processor, a range of motion of a plurality of points of the topology mesh describing the character; identifying, using the hardware processor, a plurality of poses for generating an animation, wherein each pose of the plurality of poses includes a unique configuration of the plurality of points of the topology mesh; and creating an animatronic including a plurality of actuators configured to instantiate the plurality of poses for generating the animation.
**8.** A method for use by a system including a hardware processor and a memory storing a computer graphics (CG) model of an animatronic having a plurality of actuators, the method comprising: building, using the hardware processor, a computer animation model of the animatronic including at least one form for each actuator of the plurality of actuators based on a pose space including a plurality of poses of the animatronic; evaluating, using the hardware processor, the CG model for each pose of the plurality of poses in the pose space to determine whether a pose of the plurality of poses in the pose space is instantiated; and in response to determining that the pose of the plurality of poses in the pose space is not instantiated, adding the pose to the computer animation model as a combination shape.
**12.** A system for animating an animatronic, the system comprising: a memory storing an animatronics application and a three-dimensional (3D) character data including a topology mesh having a plurality of points describing a character; a hardware processor executing the animatronics application to: stabilize the 3D character data, wherein stabilizing includes removing a translational motion and a rotational motion from the 3D character data; determine a range of motion for each point of the plurality of points the topology mesh; identify a plurality of poses for generating an animation, wherein each pose of the plurality of poses includes a unique configuration of the plurality of points of the constant-topology mesh; create an animatronic including a plurality of actuators configured to instantiate the plurality of poses for generating the animation; build a computer graphics (CG) model of the animatronic including a computer animation model having at least one form for each actuator of the plurality of actuators based on a pose space including a plurality of poses of the animatronic; evaluate the CG model for each pose of the plurality of poses in the pose space to determine whether a pose of the plurality of poses in the pose space is instantiated; and in response to determining that the pose of the plurality of poses in the pose space is not instantiated, adding the pose to the computer animation model as a combination shape.