IKinema’s HTC Vive-Powered Full-Body Motion Capture System Is Impressive

[Megalith]

While I am sure that this doesn’t compare to whatever Andy Serkis and his Imaginarium Studio is using, this is a super creative way of using the HTC Vive beyond basic gaming. Chalk it up to the Lighthouse team and their laser-based tracking technology for making something like this possible. What is really worth noting here is that the motion capture is super accurate—and with only six points of tracking, no less. Thanks to Kyle for this one.

IKinema says it’s achieved the above levels of impressive accuracy with no post production – what you’re seeing is captured and rendered in real time. What’s more, it’s not as if the subject of the film is going particularly easy on the capture system, with sideways rolls and even a couple of chimpanzee impressions thrown into the presentation. Project Orion looks to be using inverse kinematics (systems which interpret realistic motion using skeletal structure) to ‘fill in’ the blanks between tracking points and considering how many blanks there are when compared to a more traditional, industry-focused Mo-Cap setup, Orion does remarkably well.

 

[Advil]

That is SERIOUSLY impressive for the cost. And just plain adequate for gross full body capture. It's not doing anything for fine finger motions or facial performance capture... but for the body movement? That's a revolution in ease.

 

[Killroy]

That is SERIOUSLY impressive for the cost. And just plain adequate for gross full body capture. It's not doing anything for fine finger motions or facial performance capture... but for the body movement? That's a revolution in ease.

It also doesn't really know where your elbows are (which way you are bending them), but it looks like it does do a really good job.

 

[Youn]

One step closer...

 

[lironmiron]

That's raw?! There's so little popping or drifting. Normally I'd have to do a ton of cleanup to get my mocap to that state using multiple kinects.

 

[hexamon]

I had been wanting some basic mo cap for a shitty game I am making. Just stuff like a character looking right when they are lifting something heavy. This would be perfect.

 

[sir-gold]

It also doesn't really know where your elbows are (which way you are bending them), but it looks like it does do a really good job.

This is the special ingredient that reverse-kinematics offers.

In order to make a particular movement, there are only so many ways that your joints and muscles can move, and it's something that can be reliably modeled (doesn't change much between individuals).

Reverse-kinematics works by using this model (human kinematics) to predict where the knees and elbows MUST be, in order for the hands, feet, and torso to be where they are. The fact that the person is moving around also helps, because it can use previous frames to eliminate impossible movements that may appear though tracking noise or momentary tracking loss of a sensor (like when he lays on his back, blocking the torso sensor)

 

[Killroy]

This is the special ingredient that reverse-kinematics offers.

In order to make a particular movement, there are only so many ways that your joints and muscles can move, and it's something that can be reliably modeled (doesn't change much between individuals).

Reverse-kinematics works by using this model (human kinematics) to predict where the knees and elbows MUST be, in order for the hands, feet, and torso to be where they are. The fact that the person is moving around also helps, because it can use previous frames to eliminate impossible movements that may appear though tracking noise or momentary tracking loss of a sensor (like when he lays on his back, blocking the torso sensor)

Yeah, it can make a pretty good guess but it can still be pretty far off. An example of what I mean: lay your hands flat on the table about one foot in front of you, moving only your shoulders and elbows, see how far around can you move your elbows.