Patent ID: 8390628
Filing Date: 2013-03-05
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
1. A method of facial animation from motion capture data, the method comprising: capturing a reference image of a performer in a specific state, the performer having a plurality of motion capture markers positioned on a face of the performer; registering the captured reference image and a virtual reference image based at least in part upon a registration metric, the virtual reference image having a plurality of virtual markers positioned on a virtual face of a virtual character; mapping the plurality of motion capture markers of the captured reference image to corresponding virtual markers of the virtual reference image; generating a mesh of curves for the virtual reference image; generating a virtual expression library having a plurality of predetermined facial states, each of the plurality of predetermined facial states being generated by deforming the mesh of curves of the virtual reference image while the plurality of virtual markers of the virtual reference image maintain their positions relative to a surface of the mesh as the mesh of curves deforms; acquiring motion capture data based on the plurality of motion capture markers; determining an offset of each of the plurality of motion capture markers to a corresponding virtual marker from the plurality of virtual markers of the virtual reference image; determining at least a set of mutually exclusive facial states in the plurality of the predetermined facial states to be applied mutually exclusive to each other; determining a solution of weights for each of the plurality of predetermined facial states in the animation library based on the offset and the determined set of mutually exclusive facial states; and combining the plurality of predetermined facial states in the animation library according to the solution of weights to generate a facial animation.