Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes comparing one or more surface features to a motion model. The surface feature or surface features represent a portion of an object in an image. The method also includes identifying a representation of the object from the motion model, based upon the comparison.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes transferring motion information from one or more motion meshes to an animation mesh. The motion mesh represents the motion of surface features of an object. A shape mesh provides a portion of the shape of the object to the animation mesh.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes comparing content captured during one session and content captured during another session. A surface feature of an object represented in the content of one session corresponds to a surface feature of an object represented in the content of the other session. The method also includes substantially aligning the surface features of the sessions and combining the aligned content.

Abstract: A method is described that includes receiving, from a first device, input used to select a first object in a computer-generated environment. The first device has at least two degrees of freedom with which to control the selection of the first object. The method also includes removing, in response to the selection of the first object, at least two degrees of freedom previously available to a second device used to manipulating a second object in the computer-generated environment. The removed degrees of freedom correspond to the at least two degrees of freedom of the first device and specify an orientation of the second object relative to the selected first object. Additionally, the method includes receiving, from the second device, input including movements within the reduced degrees of freedom used to manipulate a position of the second object while maintaining the specified orientation relative to the selected first object.

Abstract: A method of creating a complementary stereoscopic image pair is described. The method includes receiving a first 2D image comprising image data, where the first 2D image is captured from a first camera location. The method also includes projecting at least a portion of the first 2D image onto computer-generated geometry. The image data has depth values associated with the computer-generated geometry. The system includes rendering, using the computer-generated geometry and a second camera location that differs from the first camera location, a second 2-D image that is stereoscopically complementary to the first 2-D image, and infilling image data that is absent from the second 2-D image.

Abstract: In one general aspect, a method is described. The method includes generating a positional relationship between one or more support structures having at least one motion capture mark and at least one virtual structure corresponding to geometry of an object to be tracked and positioning the support structures on the object to be tracked. The support structures has sufficient rigidity that, if there are multiple marks, the marks on each support structure maintain substantially fixed distances from each other in response to movement by the object. The method also includes determining an effective quantity of ray traces between one or more camera views and one or more marks on the support structures, and estimating an orientation of the virtual structure by aligning the determined effective quantity of ray traces with a known configuration of marks on the support structures.

Abstract: An artist directly manipulates the surface of a geometric shape, which is a blended result of a number of weighted shapes, to indicate how the surface of a geometric shape should look. In response to the direct manipulation, the weightings that must be applied to the number of different shapes to produce the manipulated shape are determined, optionally taking into account high-level knowledge and constraints provided by the artist.

Abstract: A technique for high-resolution motion capture according to the present invention includes a high-resolution makeup scheme and calibration object to optimize data capture. Data reduction and processing techniques reduce noise in the raw data and result in sufficient captured data to permit the use of several different image-processing techniques alone or in combination. The processed image data may be used to drive an animated character. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.