Motion Capture for the Masses
Our Founder and CTO, Michael Nikonov, was recently interviewed for Renderosity Magazine. The piece covers recent #iPiSoft updates to our markerless iPi Motion Capture software solution and tips for how content creators can easily bring motion capture in their workflow.
#motioncapture #iPiMocap #Renderosity #UnrealEngine
Article is available here:
https://renderositymagazine.com/article/5570/interview-with-michael-nikonov-founder-of-ipi-soft
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Live Feedback And Integration With Unity Game Engine Among Latest Improvements; 30% Discount Available Through Holidays
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MOSCOW, RUSSIA — Nov 20, 2019 — iPi Soft, LLC, developers of the markerless motion capture technology iPi Motion Capture, announced enhancements to its iPi Recorder 4.4.4 and iPi Mocap Studio 4.3.0 software. New features include improved live feedback and foot tracking for depth sensors, further integration with the Unity gaming engine, as well as support for Azure Kinect sensors. iPi Soft is also offering a 30 percent discount on iPi Motion Capture throughout the holidays.
“The live feedback improvements are key capabilities that will accelerate the motion capture workflow for game designers and visual effects artists,” Michael Nikonov, Founder and Chief Technology Architect of iPi Soft, says. “Tighter integration with the Unity real-time game engine is a huge benefit that will provide content creators increased flexibility to create projects quickly and with more accurate results.”
Improved Live Feedback:
The new version of iPi Mocap supports higher resolution in tracking mode providing more motion capture accuracy with lower jitter, while the smoothing filter can now remove visual jitter during live feedback tracking. Users can also change target 3D characters for motion transfer without the need to stop and restart live feedback. Recent live tracking settings are now stored thus eliminating the need to reset every time live tracking feature is used.
Integration with Unity:
Closer integration with the Unity gaming engine gives users the ability to stream tracking results to Unity, in both live feedback and offline tracking mode, allowing them to see how the motion will look in a 3D setting. Animation can also be post processed in real-time via Unity.
Support For Azure Kinect Sensors:
Azure Kinect sensors recently released by Microsoft are a new generation of popular Kinect depth sensors that have better depth quality, wide field of view mode and other advantages over Xbox 360 and Xbox One Kinects. iPi Motion Capture now supports Azure Kinect giving customers improved tracking quality and the ability to use the system in spaces as small as 7-feet by 5-feet. (Depth sensors comparison is available here.)
Pricing and Availability:
For the holidays, iPi Soft is currently offering a 30-percent discount for orders placed before December 31, 2019 (please use coupon code NY2020). This includes a discount off of iPi Soft’s perpetual license that includes two years of full support and software updates, as well as its subscription-based pricing model.
iPi Motion Capture Version 4 is available as perpetual license or subscription-based model. Prices range from $165 to $1995 depending on the version of software (Express, Basic, Pro) and duration of subscription. Additional information on iPi Soft pricing is available here.
PDF version of this press-release is available here.
About iPi Soft:
Moscow-based developer, iPi Soft, LLC, develops powerful markerless motion capture software technology that uses sophisticated image processing and computer vision algorithms to recognize and track the human body. The company’s software is used by creative professionals and prosumers around the world to digitize the movement of a human skeleton, rendering it expressive in 3D characters for video games, computer generated films, as well as for medical, military and other applications. For additional information, on iPi Soft, product pricing, configurations or a 30-day free trial please visit http://www.ipisoft.com.
All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
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Media Contacts:
Vicky Gray-Clark, Ambient PR vicky@ambientpr.com 408-318-1980
Ray Ecke, Right Word Media ray@rightwordmedia.com 973-726-3797
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The recent release of iPiRecorder 4.4.4 and iPiMocapStudio 4.3.0 includes important new features and improvements:
See details in the release notes:
http://docs.ipisoft.com/iPi_Mocap_Studio_Release_Notes#ver._4.3.0.239
http://docs.ipisoft.com/iPi_Recorder_Release_Notes#ver._4.4.4.81
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Scare Tactics:
With Halloween a little over a month away, now is the time for some scary movies. With that in mind iPi Soft is partnering with Renderosity Magazine to give away a free iPi Mocap Pro Perpetual license to the winner of their 2019 Halloween contest, animation category, with the theme “Ever Watching Eyes.”
To enter the contest go here for details on creating scare-worthy content about the creature that is spying on you or one of your characters with their ever-watching eyes. Submissions began on September 10th and will end at 10 am (CT) on October 10th. From there, community voting will begin on October 10th at 10 am (CT) and will close at 10 am (CT) on October 25th.
Good luck from everyone at iPi Soft. We look forward to watching your submissions (with the lights on of course).
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The current June/July issue of Animation Magazine features a deep dive into how lead CG artist Brandon Parvini and the team at the Los Angeles-based VFX studio Bemo effectively incorporated iPi Soft markerless motion capture technology into its workflow. Parvini notes how the show’s demanding schedule requires a fast and flexible, real-time motion- capture system, which is critical in the post-production pipeline (which also includes Cinema 4D, After Effects and ZBrush).
“We’re given a rough notion of the creative direction for CG character development based on all the creative parameters that exist,” Parvini says. “We are pretty much run-and-gun. While the edit is still being locked down, we are moving into 3D animation and solving tech and creative asks that come up. The moments where I need a capture, I pull out the Kinect, place it on a stool and capture action right there at my desk in roughly a 4×4 foot space.”
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Designer/animator Leigh Williamson has started to create series of video tutorials on using iPi Mocap with Cinema4D.
In the first published video you will…
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New Support Simplifies Animation Export Functionality
The latest release 4.1.3 of iPi Mocap Studio includes built-in support that simplifies the animation export process from the iPi Motion Capture software to the Unreal Engine 4 (UE4), the suite of integrated tools popular with video game developers and designers.
Previously, Unreal Engine users had to manually match joints of the default iPi Mocap Studio rig to joints of their own rigs they use in Unreal in order to transfer captured motions to their rigs. Any errors in matching would lead to misalignment and render the animation unusable. New features now provide Unreal users with a process that only requires they export their character to an FBX file, which is then loaded into iPi Mocap Studio for automatic generation of motion-transfer profile.
The new process benefits anyone using iPi Mocap, not just those using UE4. When loading custom characters from an FBX file, users can now select from several built-in compatible motion transfer profiles. Prior, they had to manage the profiles themselves, often leading to profile errors. Additional feature enhancements include a new option to automatically determine character coordinate systems, eliminating the time-consuming process of matching changing axis orientations.
“The new automated features being introduced in iPi Mocap Version 4 are not only about saving UE4 customers time,” says Michael Nikonov. “These new capabilities will also ensure more accurate results for those creating custom characters using different coordinate systems for a stable and intuitive workflow.”
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This is worth sharing: designer/animator Leigh Williamson took a deep-dive for the School of Motion website showing how easy it is create motion capture 3D character animation using iPi Motion Capture and Cinema 4D. Check it out here.
Leigh notes he was inspired by Brandon Parvini’s presentation for Maxon last summer at Siggraph showing how iPi Mocap and Cinema 4D were used together effectively on the popular “Dream Corp LLC” Adult Swim TV series, and decided to explore it for himself (see our press release).
Using our trial iPi Mocap license and a borrowed friend’s Kinect, Williamson set up a capture space in his small home office. Clearly he was impressed with how quickly he was able to get up and running and the capture quality.
See related article at Cineversity.
#iPiSoft #SchoolofMotion #Cinema4D #Maxon #iPiMocap #LeighWilliamson
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Mind-Bending Series Combines Live Action, CG And Motion Capture; Season Three Scheduled for Production This Summer
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MOSCOW, RUSSIA – March 13, 2019 – iPi Soft is pleased to announce Los-Angeles creative studio Bemo, continues to leverage its advanced markerless mocap solution, iPi Motion Capture (iPi Mocap), for the extensive CG character animation on comedy series Dream Corp LLC. Airing on Adult Swim, the live-action workplace comedy series set in a neglected Dream Therapy facility demands a fast-paced production pipeline and extensive motion capture technology to create the mind-bending animated sequences that distinguish between the show’s dreams and reality. A huge hit for Adult Swim with a rare 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, the show’s third season was announced ahead of the premier of season two. Dream Corp LLC is created, directed and executive produced by Daniel Stessen (John Krasinski, Stephen Merchant are Executive Producers) and produced by Bemo, with seasons one and two currently available on Amazon Prime and YouTube. The show’s third season is slated to begin production this summer. Click here to view a sample of how motion capture is incorporated into the show’s narrative. |
Brandon Parvini, Designer/Animator for the show and a long-time iPi Mocap user explained that the show’s production moves very fast, and a flexible, real-time motion capture technology is critical to a post production pipeline that also includes Cinema 4D, AfterEffects and Zbrush.
Creative Shorthand:
Parvini notes that a typical production starts when they see the first rough cut of an episode. Much of the show’s creative is made via ”shorthand” between the animators, the editors and Stessen. The team studies the tone and shot selection and determines a reaction plan for each episode to see where there are opportunities or references to a character or figure that will need to be created. Much of the time the team knows only a day before if motion capture is required. Sometimes requests require capture that same day.
“We are given a rough notion of the creative direction for CG character development based on all the creative parameters that exist,” Parvini says. “We are pretty much run-and-gun. While the edit is still being locked down we are moving into 3D animation and solving tech and creative asks that come up. The moments where I need a capture, I pull out the Kinect, place it on a stool and capture action right there at my desk in roughly a 4×4 foot space.”
He added, the strength of iPi Mocap has been its ease of use and smooth integration with Cinema 4D, the studio’s central 3D application. “iPi Mocap doesn’t require a lot of fuss and setup to get rolling with recordings which has made it a durable and irreplaceable part of our pipeline arsenal. Having a motion capture solution that is accurate and works so easily in our production pipeline, encourages us to take risks and immerse ourselves in the creative process so that we can create a more jarring and visually engaging experience for everyone.”
Version 4.1 of iPi Motion Capture was released in December 2018 and features several enhancements to include real-time tracking for multiple depth sensors (connected to either a single computer or several computers connected via iPi Soft’s Distributed Recording feature), as well as automatic synchronization of action camera videos based on flash detection.
“iPi Mocap is designed to enable artists to go from creative idea to production with technology that is affordable and accessible without the need for expensive greenscreen studios and sensor suits,” says Michael Nikonov, iPi Soft Founder and Chief Technology Architect. “Our real time tracking function lets customers preview motion tracking results transferred to a 3D character at the time of performance, which optimizes workflow for fast-paced productions like ‘Dream Corp LLC.”
Pricing and Availability:
With the launch of iPi Motion Capture Version 4, iPi Soft introduced a perpetual license model. The perpetual license is not time-limited and includes two years with full support and software updates. iPi Motion Capture Version 4 is also available as a subscription-based model. Prices range from $165 to $1995 depending on the version of software (Express, Basic, Pro) and duration of subscription.
Additional information on iPi Soft license and pricing is available here.
About iPi Soft:
Moscow-based developer, iPi Soft, LLC, develops powerful markerless motion capture software technology that uses sophisticated image processing and computer vision algorithms to recognize and track the human body. The company’s software is used by creative professionals and prosumers around the world to digitize the movement of a human skeleton, rendering it expressive in 3D characters for video games, computer generated films, as well as for medical, military and other applications. For additional information, on iPi Soft, product pricing, product configurations or a 30-day free trial please visit http://www.ipisoft.com.
All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
# # #
Media Contacts:
Vicky Gray-Clark, Ambient PR vicky@ambientpr.com 408-318-1980
Ray Ecke, Right Word Media ray@rightwordmedia.com 973-726-3797
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Read #JoeHerman’s comprehensive article in CineMontage about the new real-time tracking features now available in iPi Motion Capture software, and the workflow benefits of using markerless mocap in production. #iPiSoft #mocap
http://cinemontage.org/motion-capture-for-the-masses/
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