Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically generating animation-ready 3D character models based upon model parameter, clothing selections, and texture-region color component selections are described. One embodiment of the invention includes an application server configured to receive the user defined model parameters and the at least one texture selection via a user interface. In addition, the application server includes a generative model and the application server is configured to generate a 3D mesh based upon the user defined model parameters using the generative model and to apply texture to the generated mesh based upon the at least one texture selection.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating and concatenating 3D character animations are described including systems in which recommendations are made by the animation system concerning motions that smoothly transition when concatenated. One embodiment includes a server system connected to a communication network and configured to communicate with a user device that is also connected to the communication network.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically generating animation-ready 3D character models based upon model parameter and clothing selections are described. One embodiment of the invention includes an application server configured to receive the user defined model parameters and the clothing selection via a user interface.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for animating 3D characters using synthetic motion data generated by generative models in response to a high level description of a desired sequence of motion provided by an animator. In a number of embodiments, an animation system is accessible via a server system that utilizes the ability of generative models to generate synthetic motion data across a continuum to enable multiple animators to effectively reuse the same set of previously recorded motion capture data to produce a wide variety of desired animation sequences. One embodiment of the invention includes a server system configured to communicate with a database containing motion data including repeated sequences of motion, where the differences between the repeated sequences of motion are described using at least one high level characteristic.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for performing spatial and temporal compression of deformable mesh based representations of 3D character motion allowing the visualization of high-resolution 3D character animations in real time. In a number of embodiments, the deformable mesh based representation of the 3D character motion is used to automatically generate an interconnected graph based representation of the same 3D character motion. The interconnected graph based representation can include an interconnected graph that is used to drive mesh clusters during the rendering of a 3D character animation. The interconnected graph based representation provides spatial compression of the deformable mesh based representation, and further compression can be achieved by applying temporal compression processes to the time-varying behavior of the mesh clusters.

Abstract: Systems and methods for animating 3D characters using a non-rigged mesh or a group of non-rigged meshes that define the appearance of the character are illustrated. Certain embodiments disclose a process for the automatic rigging or autorigging of a non-rigged mesh or meshes. In one embodiment, a method of automatically rigging at least one mesh defining the external appearance of a 3D character includes creating a 3D representation of the external appearance of the 3D character defined by the at least one mesh, where the 3D representation is a single closed form mesh, identifying salient points of the 3D representation, fitting a reference skeleton to the 3D representation, calculating skinning weights for the 3D representation based upon the fitted skeleton, and automatically rigging the 3D character by transferring the skeleton and skinning weights generated with respect to the 3D representation to the at least one mesh defining the external appearance of the 3D character.

Abstract: Techniques for animating a 3D facial model using images of a human face are described. An embodiment of the method of the invention involves matching an image of a human face to a point in a space of human faces and facial expressions based upon a description of a space of human faces and facial expressions obtained using a training data set containing multiple images of human faces registered to a template and multiple images of human facial expressions registered to the same template. The point in the space of human faces and facial expressions matching the human face can then be used in combination with a set of mappings from the space of human faces and facial expressions to a plurality of facial expressions for a 3D character model to deform a mesh of the 3D character model to achieve a corresponding facial expression.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for animating 3D characters using synthetic motion data generated by motion models in response to a high level description of a desired sequence of motion provided by an animator. In a number of embodiments, the synthetic motion data is streamed to a user device that includes a rendering engine and the user device renders an animation of a 3D character using the streamed synthetic motion data. In several embodiments, an animator can upload a custom model of a 3D character or a custom 3D character is generated by the server system in response to a high level description of a desired 3D character provided by the user and the synthetic motion data generated by the generative model is retargeted to animate the custom 3D character.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for performing spatial and temporal compression of deformable mesh based representations of 3D character motion allowing the visualization of high-resolution 3D character animations in real time. In a number of embodiments, the deformable mesh based representation of the 3D character motion is used to automatically generate an interconnected graph based representation of the same 3D character motion. The interconnected graph based representation can include an interconnected graph that is used to drive mesh clusters during the rendering of a 3D character animation. The interconnected graph based representation provides spatial compression of the deformable mesh based representation, and further compression can be achieved by applying temporal compression processes to the time-varying behavior of the mesh clusters.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for animating 3D characters using synthetic motion data generated by generative models in response to a high level description of a desired sequence of motion provided by an animator. An animation system is accessible via a server system that utilizes the ability of generative models to generate synthetic motion data across a continuum to enable multiple animators to effectively reuse the same set of previously recorded motion capture data to produce a wide variety of desired animation sequences. An animator can upload a custom model of a 3D character and the synthetic motion data generated by the generative model is retargeted to animate the custom 3D character.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically generating animation-ready 3D character models based upon model parameter and clothing selections are described. One embodiment of the invention includes an application server configured to receive the user defined model parameters and the clothing selection via a user interface.

Abstract: Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention enable collaborative creation, transmission, sharing, non-linear exploration, and modification of animated video messages. One embodiment includes a video camera, a processor, a network interface, and storage containing an animated message application, and a 3D character model. In addition, the animated message application configures the processor to: capture a video sequence using the video camera; detect a human face within a sequence of video frames; track changes in human facial expression of a human face detected within a sequence of video frames; map tracked changes in human facial expression to motion data, where the motion data is generated to animate the 3D character model; apply motion data to animate the 3D character model; render an animation of the 3D character model into a file as encoded video; and transmit the encoded video to a remote device via the network interface.

Abstract: Techniques for animating a 3D facial model using images of a human face are described. An embodiment of the method of the invention involves matching an image of a human face to a point in a space of human faces and facial expressions based upon a description of a space of human faces and facial expressions obtained using a training data set containing multiple images of human faces registered to a template and multiple images of human facial expressions registered to the same template. The point in the space of human faces and facial expressions matching the human face can then be used in combination with a set of mappings from the space of human faces and facial expressions to a plurality of facial expressions for a 3D character model to deform a mesh of the 3D character model to achieve a corresponding facial expression.

Abstract: A system and method for automatic rigging of three dimensional characters for facial animation provide a rigged mesh for an original three dimensional mesh. A representative mesh is generated from the original mesh. Segments, key points, a bone set, and skinning weights are then determined for the representative mesh. The Skinning weights and bone set are placed in the original mesh to generate the rigged mesh.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating recommendations for animations to apply to animate 3D characters in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment includes an animation server and a database containing metadata describing a plurality of animations and the compatibility of ordered pairs of the described animations. In addition, the animation server is configured to receive requests for animation recommendations identifying a first animation, generate a recommendation of at least one animation described in the database based upon the first animation, receive a selection of an animation described in the database, and concatenate at least the first animation and the selected animation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating and concatenating 3D character animations are described including systems in which recommendations are made by the animation system concerning motions that smoothly transition when concatenated. One embodiment includes a server system connected to a communication network and configured to communicate with a user device that is also connected to the communication network.

Abstract: Systems and methods for animating 3D characters using a non-rigged mesh or a group of non-rigged meshes that define the appearance of the character are illustrated. Certain embodiments disclose a process for the automatic rigging or autorigging of a non-rigged mesh or meshes. In one embodiment, a method of automatically rigging at least one mesh defining the external appearance of a 3D character includes creating a 3D representation of the external appearance of the 3D character defined by the at least one mesh, where the 3D representation is a single closed form mesh, identifying salient points of the 3D representation, fitting a reference skeleton to the 3D representation, calculating skinning weights for the 3D representation based upon the fitted skeleton, and automatically rigging the 3D character by transferring the skeleton and skinning weights generated with respect to the 3D representation to the at least one mesh defining the external appearance of the 3D character.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically generating animation-ready 3D character models based upon model parameter, clothing selections, and texture-region color component selections are described. One embodiment of the invention includes an application server configured to receive the user defined model parameters and the at least one texture selection via a user interface. In addition, the application server includes a generative model and the application server is configured to generate a 3D mesh based upon the user defined model parameters using the generative model and to apply texture to the generated mesh based upon the at least one texture selection.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing remote markerless motion capture to drive 3D animations in real time in accordance with embodiments of the invention are described. One embodiment of the invention includes an optical device connected to a data acquisition device, where the combination of the optical device and the data acquisition device is configured to perform markerless motion capture, and a server system configured to communicate with the data acquisition device via the Internet. In addition, the server system is configured to receive motion capture data from the data acquisition device, and the server system is configured to generate motion data to animate a 3D character model based upon the received motion capture data.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for animating 3D characters using synthetic motion data generated by motion models in response to a high level description of a desired sequence of motion provided by an animator. In a number of embodiments, the synthetic motion data is streamed to a user device that includes a rendering engine and the user device renders an animation of a 3D character using the streamed synthetic motion data. In several embodiments, an animator can upload a custom model of a 3D character or a custom 3D character is generated by the server system in response to a high level description of a desired 3D character provided by the user and the synthetic motion data generated by the generative model is retargeted to animate the custom 3D character.