iPi Soft

Motion Capture for the Masses

newsletter share-facebook share-twitter

Archive for the ‘Press Release’ Category

Further Improvements of Jitter Removal

Posted on: September 15th, 2016

New software release 3.3.9.205 includes:

N E W    F E A T U R E S:

  • Further increase of jitter removal speed. Improved algorithm is 10-20% faster compared to the previous release. Speed increase depends on particular hardware (GPU and CPU).

 

B U G    F I X E S:

  • Biomech Add-on free trial activation did not work.
  • Periodic Auto-Save did not work in jitter removal. Now the project is saved every 30 seconds.
  • Memory leaks in jitter removal.
  • Crashed if timeline slider is clicked during jitter removal or tracking operation.

 

U N D E R    T H E    H O O D:

  • Improved responsiveness of user interface during jitter removal on computers with slow video cards.

iPi Automation Add-on Released

Posted on: July 14th, 2016

iPi Automation Add-on Released

New Feature Integrates Motion Capture Software Functionality Into Third Party

Animation and Biomechanical Analysis Production Workflows

_____________

July 14, 2016iPi Soft, LLC, developers of the iPi Motion Capture line of markerless motion capture technology, today announced the availability of iPi Automation Add-On. The new Automation Add-On tool allows third party software developers to integrate motion capture tracking of human body motions using the company’s iPi Recorder and iPi Mocap Studio software applications.

Additionally, the  new tool enables the automation of repeated tasks and custom workflows – a particular benefit for high-end animation production in entertainment; and for tracking and visualization of motion capture data for medical, sports analysis and movement science applications.

“We’re pleased to offer third party software developers, and technically advanced users, this new means of accessing the benefits of iPi Motion Capture,“ Michael Nikonov, iPi Soft’s Chief Technology Architect, says. “The new Automation Add-on capabilities are designed to streamline integration of iPi Motion Capture into third party workflows for improved ability to send commands and get results of complex motion capture data. This is also a useful and cost effective solution for high-end visual effects and animation studios who need to automate frequently repeated sequences of operations and for healthcare .”

The Automation Add-On, which allows users to control iPi Recorder and iPi Mocap Studio via external application by sending JSON commands via Windows dll, is currently in beta testing with biomechanical software development company Anatomical Engineering for application use in the physical therapy and rehabilitation industry.

iPi Automation Add-On Pricing

The iPi Automation Add-On is activated using iPi Mocap Studio and requires a separate license key. Pricing for a one-year license is $495. More information can be found here:

http://tst.ipisoft.com/software/automation-add-on/

PDF Version>>

iPi Mocap Becomes Key Creative Weapon For Popular YouTube Show «Death Battle»

Posted on: April 18th, 2016

iPi Motion Capture Becomes Key Creative Weapon For Popular YouTube Show «Death Battle»

With Viewers Per Episode Numbering In The Tens of Millions, Show Creators Integrate Markerless Motion Capture TooI Into Increasingly Challenging Workflow

___________

 Apr 18, 2016iPi Motion Capture, the leading markerless motion capture solution created by iPi Soft, has been added to the creative arsenal of the hugely-popular YouTube show “Death Battle” seen on ScrewAttack!, the production studio / entertainment brand under the Rooster Teeth umbrella, which creates content focused on gamer culture for YouTube and their website. Season Three of the show, which attracts tens of millions views per episode, recently premiered featuring a new, more sophisticated post production workflow anchored by iPi’s game-changing mocap tool.

DeathBattle-1 DeathBattle-2

“Using motion capture is a relatively new addition to the overall production process behind our 3D fights,” Torrian Crawford, Lead 3D Animator / Action Director for the hit online show, says. “It’s made making animation for humanoid characters a lot easier and provides a great base for any adjustments. The multi camera setup has also proved to be a great tool for creating non-motion capture animation references.”

Each episode of “Death Battle” imagines a fight to the death between pop culture’s deadliest characters. Told in a tongue-in-cheek, comedic way, the show features a “pre-game” section in which (much like a typical boxing broadcast), a hyper-sounding announcer outlines each fighter’s strengths and weaknesses. From there it’s time to rumble, with videogame style animation showcasing the often intricate fight sequences.

Crawford noted that the Austin, TX-based production has used iPI Motion Capture in concert with 6 PlayStation Eye cameras and 3 PlayStation Move controllers on ten episodes in the new season, featuring enhanced use of 3D animation.

“I have been using the software to lay down base animations for all realistic and sometimes non-realistic movements, stunts and actions,” Crawford explains. “The content is then saved and imported into Autodesk 3Ds Max where it is cleaned up and edited to fit the needs of the scene and characters.”

Crawford noted that iPi Motion Capture software proved essential on a recent episode featuring the character Dante (video game character from “Devil May Cry”) vs. Bayonetta (a videogame character) in which Crawford and his team needed to capture a large amount of the fight choreography and stunts.

“The affordability of iPi Motion Capture was huge for us,” Crawford says. “My experience with iPi Soft was so positive we decided to build out our in-house animation department and mocap studio using it. The software’s simplicity, flexibility and ease of use gives me the ability to track multiple people without the need for expensive suits or marker placement.”

PDF Version>>

iPi Motion Capture in action on “Death Battle”:

Saxxy Award-Winning Short Unlocks Full Potential of iPi Mocap

Posted on: January 5th, 2016

Saxxy Award-Winning Short «Together We Stand» Unlocks Full Potential of iPi Motion Capture

NoxStudio’s Epic Animated Fantasy Short Wins Valve-Sponsored Award in Drama Category

_________________

 Jan 5th, 2016 iPi Soft is pleased to announce that its markerless iPi Motion Capture software solution was used by Croatia-based animation company NoxStudio to create the 3D machinima short film that received a prestigious 2015 Saxxy Awards in the Drama category. Sponsored by video game developer Valve, the competition now in its fifth year honors content based on the company’s Team Fortress 2 and other video games that showcase the use of its Source Filmmaker movie-making tool.

NoxStudio’s three-minute animated film entitled «Together We Stand», directed by Igor Dudjak, uses a series of epic landscapes and stunning fantasy creatures, both human and animal, to tell the story of former enemies putting aside their differences and fighting together against a common threat.

Although the project marked the first time Dudjak used iPi Soft technology, it became a key part of the content creation workflow involving nearly 60 hours in total to capture the complex motion. Working alongside it was Source Filmmaker to build the sets, process the animation and renders for the final project.

“Literally, within just a few hours I could see the potential of iPi Motion Capture for creating motion that was unique, not generic,” Dudjak says. “There were many action and fighting sequences in the film and the software did a great job at quickly capturing the motion and making it easy to export into the formats we were working in.”

The primary requirement of the Saxxy Awards is that the film be finished using Source Filmmaker’s rendering tools, with the winners voted by Valve’s Steam Community Hub.

“Winning a Saxxy Award feels unreal, since it was the first time we ever submitted,” Dudjak adds. “I can’t even start to express the level of positive impact it has had on me. Going forward, the only thing I can do is prove to those who voted for «Together We Stand» and work even harder on my future projects.”

PDF Version>>

TogetherWeStand-1

 

TogetherWeStand-2

AWE Create Historic-Themed Virtual Reality Content For Toronto’s Fort York

Posted on: November 23rd, 2015

iPi Soft Motion Capture Software Helps Mobile Content Developer AWE Create Historic-Themed Virtual Reality Content For Toronto’s Fort York

Markerless Motion Capture Technology Plays Key Role In Bringing Past

To Life At Nine Acre Fort York National Historical Site

_____________________________________________________________

 

Nov 23rd, 2015 – History buffs who have wondered about witnessing great moments in time are one step closer thanks to Toronto-based mobile content developer AWE, that used iPi Motion Capture, the leading markerless motion capture solution developed by iPi Soft, to create a one-of-a-kind virtual reality experience at the Fort York National Historic Site in Toronto. Using Google Cardboard, visitors to the nine-acre location in Toronto will be able to experience key battle scenes, military fortifications and the significant role that Fort York has played in the country’s history in a simulated, immersive 3-D environment.

FortYork-Capture-1
FortYork-Cannon-1

“Fort York is the largest historic site in Toronto and they wanted to create a dramatic visitor experience that spanned across the entire site, both indoors and out,” explains Srinivas Krishna, AWE’s CEO and the Director of the project (produced through Krishna’s production company Divani Films, Toronto). “We created content that, when viewed on a mobile phone using Google Cardboard, immerses visitors inside a 360-degree environment that recreates historical events from different eras that occurred right where visitors are standing. It’s a fun and powerful experience.”

Perhaps most memorable is the pivotal role Fort York played during the War of 1812, when the U.S. navel ships attacked the fort, which was then under the control of the British army. To re-create that experience, along with several other noteworthy events that occurred at the site, Krishna designed a workflow that leaned heavily on iPi Motion Capture.

Krishna explained that project, which initially began three years ago, included creating animated model rigs for the multitude of characters that would be seen virtually. Built using Unity’s 3D Game engine, the character models, as well as the environments (designed to look like Fort York at the time) were animated using Maya. That content was then composited with the motion capture action sequences filmed using iPi Motion Capture, along with facial mocap data captured using Mixamo Face Plus.

“On the production side, we had a real problem because of the huge number of characters the client wanted represented,” Krishna says. “It became a challenge on many levels.  We wondered how are we going to create our 3D models and use motion capture in a cost effective way. iPi Soft proved great for this type of large-scale amount of footage on a modest budget. Markerless mocap is perfect for broad strokes, and as a filmmaker I found working with it to be a marvelous creative experience.”

While it would seem historical sites like Fort York are perfect for these types of virtual reality experiences, Krishna notes that the project was a bit of a risk given that when they started Google Cardboard wasn’t yet on anyone’s radar.

“We started developing this in 2012, which actually turned out to be good timing because we were able to think creatively and implement while at the same time the ecosystem for VR was developing,” Krishna adds. “We see this as a game-changer in this arena, and I think more historical sites around the world are going to be interested in creating these types of experiences for their visitors.”

For iPi Soft’s Founder and Chief Technology Architect Michael Nikonov, the Fort York project represents yet another way innovative companies are unleashing the creative power of markerless motion capture.

“Virtual reality is the buzzword of the entertainment industry today,” Nikonov says. “That’s why it’s so encouraging to see how creative companies like AWE and Divani Films are able to harness the power of our markerless motion capture technology to produce one-of-a-kind virtual reality experiences that audiences can enjoy now.”

PDF version>>

About AWE:

At AWE, their mission is to enable people to interact in ways that are new and imaginative using their mobile devices. They build new software applications and enable new experiences. Their line of Augmented World Engines™ let users fill the world with characters, stories, and amazing new ways to play and learn – and share these experiences within camera-enabled mobile devices. AWE software applications and services are based on proven technologies and methods developed in collaboration with scientists from Ryerson University and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. http://awecompany.com

About Divani Films:

Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Toronto, Srinivas Krishna’s Divani Films Inc. has a twenty-year history of successfully developing, producing and selling film, television, cross-platform and other motion picture media productions. The company has produced and sold numerous hours of Canadian television, along with feature films and several shorts. Its films have screened in the official selection at Toronto, Sundance, Cannes and numerous other film festivals and have been distributed worldwide. Buyers of company productions include Alliance Atlantis, CBC, CTV, Bravo!, Movie Network, Movie Central, ARTV, Bravo!, APTN, HBO Cinemax, Channel Four, SBS Australia, Star TV Networks, Hong Kong, Strand Releasing, Wellspring Media, Icon Entertainment International and Warner Home Video. Company productions and co-productions have been supported by Telefilm Canada, the Canadian Media Fund, the Ontario Media Development Corporation, the Alberta Film Development Program and SaskFilm. http://divanifilms.com/

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://tst.ipisoft.com

All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Media Contacts: 

Ambient PR, Vicky Gray-Clark, vicky@ambientpr.com, +1 408-318-1980

Right Word Media, Ray Ecke, ray@rightwordmedia.com, +1 973-726-3797

iPi Soft Partners With Acting/Filmmaking Education Resource The Mocap Vaults

Posted on: May 27th, 2015

iPi Soft Partners With Acting/Filmmaking Education Resource The Mocap Vaults

Live Workshops Teach Actors, Producers, Directors and Animators the Art of Emerging Motion Capture Technology Using Leading Markerless Mocap Developer’s Tools 
_____________
 
 
MOSCOW, RUSSIA – Recognizing the growing need for today’s professional actors, directors and producers to learn the unique challenges behind working with motion capture technology,iPi Softmakers of the leading markerless motion capture technology iPi Motion Capture, has partnered withThe Mocap Vaults, an educational resource that offers both online tutorials and live workshops in Los Angeles, Canada, London, and other European cities. 
 
As part of the partnership, iPi Soft is providing the latest versions of their mocap technology for use during the Vault’s live workshops and online educational resources aimed at both actors, directors and development/production teams where participants learn the subtle art of tailoring their performances or production shoots to a mocap setting in a very hands-on immediate way. 
 
Note: On June 13-14 in Los Angeles, iPi Soft is sponsoring The Mocap Vaults’ “Motion Capture Summit,” a two-day intensive learning experience for actors, directors, animators and technicians. Details here]
 

 
“As more and more videogames, feature films and other entertainment content comes to rely on motion capture to tell their stories, today’s actors, directors and producers realize the importance of learning the techniques and principles for creating with this very specific technology,” Michael Nikonov, iPi Soft’s Founder and Chief Technology Architect, says. “We are excited to partner with The Mocap Vaults team who have the expertise to help the range of creative professionals – from the novice to expert – learn how to work in this relevant medium.”
 
Founded by Oliver Hollis-Leick, a 13-year mocap acting veteran that has worked on over 80 videogame and movie titles, with roles in such films as “Iron Man 2,” “Stardust,” “Total Recall,” “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” “Godzilla,” “Hercules,” “Fred Clause” among many others, The Mocap Vault’s goal is teach today’s actors and filmmakers the techniques that comport with the animation constraints of videogame and feature films production and post. 
 
Hollis-Leick explains that mocap-created character motion is nowhere near as intricate as human movement, and to compensate for that actors have to learn to use physicality as their primary tool for expression. Having the ability to actually perform motion capture with iPi Soft software means that he and the other Mocap Vault teachers can easily show students the ‘before and after’ process.
 
“We will be using iPi Motion Capture primarily to demonstrate the way that acting performances can be tailored for specific mocap settings,” Hollis-Leick says. “We also want to use different character models and rigs to show how characterization is important. If you are playing some kind of mythical creature or an animal then you need to physicalize that performance to fit the animated model that you are working with.”
 
Additionally, Hollis-Leick is currently in the process of finishingan instructional film about motion capture performance, created entirely using iPi Soft, that will be available on The Mocap Vaults site soon. 
 
“For Mocap Vault users to be able to express themselves using motion capture in a matter of minutes has proven essential to the learning process,” Hollis-Leick says. “iPi Soft is a powerful tool that is revolutionizing the motion capture world.” 
 
Hollis-Leick also notes that a professional mocap reel is soon to be standard issue for any actor or director serious about working in the medium. 
 
“We want to create a new wave of mocap superstars that are trained, prepped and ready for the job,” Hollis-Leick adds. “Given that currently it’s nearly impossible to create a mocap showreel without access to a big visual effects studio, using iPi Soft’s toolset allows us to provide this easily to our participants. We’re proud to be partnering with them.”
 
 
About iPi Motion Capture:
iPi Motion Capture is a markerless motion capture software tool to track human body motions to easily produce 3D animation. The scalable system is capable of tracking of up to 3 actors and is compatible with first and second-generation Kinect sensors working at the same time on one or several computers to capture complex motions, including 360-degrees turns. It also supports other inexpensive off-the-shelf equipment such as Sony PS3 Eye cameras. 
The software is also compatible with many leading game engines, 3D software applications and animation rigs, including MAXON Cinema 4D, Autodesk 3D Studio Max / Maya / MotionBuilder, Unity, Valve Source Filmmaker / Source Engine, DAZ Studio, Poser, iClone, Unreal Engine, and others. iPi Motion Capture supports motion transfer and export to popular animation formats including FBX, BVH and COLLADA.
 
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://tst.ipisoft.com.

All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

2014 Proves A Banner Year For iPi Soft

Posted on: December 18th, 2014

2014 Proves A Banner Year For iPi Soft

Markerless Motion Capture Software Developer Continues to Gain Worldwide Momentum From Visual Effects and Creative Studios

___________________

MOSCOW, RUSSIA December 18, 2014 – iPi Soft, LLC, today announced that momentum in 2014 for the company’s flagship software, iPi Motion Capture, continues to be strong among visual effects and creative studios worldwide, including industry leaders like Rodeo FX, Big Lazy Robot, The Sequence Group and Ghost Town Media.  For iPi Soft, 2014 was a year filled with many high-points ranging from the launch of iPi Motion Capture V 3.0, to advancements in the bio mechanical market, increased visibility at key industry events and an expanding customer base of creative professionals that continue to push the software into groundbreaking directions.

Michael Nikonov, Founder and Chief Creative Architect of iPi Soft, notes that the company remains committed to developing affordable and reliable markerless motion capture solutions that meets the demands of today’s filmmakers and game developers.

“In 2014, we saw the creative community fully embrace markerless motion capture from entertainment projects in film, TV and videogames to doctors taking advantage of motion capture tools to help them better understand the complexities of physical movement,” Nikonov says. “With the launch of iPi Motion Capture V 3.0 and our new subscription model, we look forward to an impactful 2015.”

IPi Soft 2014 Highlights:

iPi Motion Capture 3.0 Launch & New Subscription Pricing: In November, iPi Soft unveiled their next generation motion capture solution, which delivered a number of impressive new features for improved workflow, including support for the new Microsoft Kinect 2 sensor. Additionally, the company introduced a new subscription payment model.

• Biomech Add-On: In February, iPi Soft launched iPi Biomech, a new add-on software tool for the biomechanical analysis of human motion, which extended the functionality of iPi Motion Capture for markerless tracking and visualization of motion capture data for medical, sports analysis and movement science applications.

Industry Events: A component of iPi Soft’s growth strategy has been to increase its presence at the numerous trade shows and industry events most relevant to its users. A high-point in 2014 was the company’s sponsored Digital Media Artists/Los Angeles (DMA/LA) educational event in March, featuring animation/mocap experts Ko Maruyama, Anthony Hoit, David Lewandowski and Don L. McCoy.

• Stalingrad: Among the many entertainment projects to benefit from iPi Motion Capture, one project, the Russian-produced epic film “Stalingrad” (Sony Pictures), which opened in February in the U.S., was particularly noteworthy not only because it became highest-grossing film ever in Russia, but because it featured 230 visual effects shots filling approximately 30 minutes of overall screen time.

Looking ahead to 2015, Nikonov anticipates positive reaction by users to many of the new features in 3.0 that will become available with future updates. Those features include distributed recording allowing users to record to several computers during the same session. Additionally, it will be possible to use several Kinect 2 sensors simultaneously, as well as record with up to 12 cameras tracking three actors — all at substantially increased tracking speed with improved clean-up of selected limbs and fine actor model adjustments.

Press-release in PDF>>

About iPi Soft:

Launched in 2008 by CEO and Chief Technology Architect Michael Nikonov, iPi Soft, LLC is the Moscow-based developer of iPi Motion Capture™, a markerless motion capture software tool that uses sophisticated image processing and computer vision algorithms to recognize and track the human body. The company’s breakthrough technology digitizes the movement of a human skeleton, rendering it in expressive 3D characters for video games or computer generated films. For additional information, on iPi Soft, product pricing or a 30-day free trial please visit, http://tst.ipisoft.com.

All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Media Contacts:

Ambient PR, Vicky Gray-Clark, vicky@ambientpr.com, 408-318-1980

Right Word Media, Ray Ecke, ray@rightwordmedia.com, 973-726-3797

 

iPi Soft To Sponsor Machinima Expo 7 On November 23

Posted on: November 18th, 2014

iPi Soft To Sponsor Machinima Expo 7 On November 23

Just Released iPi Motion Capture V. 3.0 Software Will Be Awarded To Grand Prize Winners of Filmmaking Contest

_____________________________________________

MOSCOW, RUSSIA — For the third year in a row, iPi Soft, developers of the advanced markerless motion capture software iPi Motion Capture, will serve as a key sponsor to Machinima Expo, the world’s only virtual machinima film festival. The event takes place on November 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST on the event website via their Ustream channel. In addition, two films that feature extensive use of iPi Soft tools will be part of the embedded pre-recorded programming premiering on the main Machinima Expo website and its Facebook page.

The Machinima Expo is an annual festival that celebrates the art of machinima, the form of 3D animation created using real time videogame engines. Over 60 animated films will be screened at the Machinima Expo this year. The program includes director profiles, panel discussions and tutorials. There will be two Grand Prize-winning films announced, as well as three Jury prizes during the awards ceremony at the end of the festival.

As an official sponsor of the event, iPi Soft is awarding two prizes. Each is a one year subscription to its just released iPi Mocap Studio Pro Version 3.0 to the Grand Jury prizewinners. In addition, Machinima Expo will also give one Microsoft Kinect to each winner to complete prize package.

“This is our third year being part of this important event celebrating creativity,” Michael Nikonov, iPi Soft’s Founder and Chief Technology Architect says. “The brilliant ways machinima filmmakers incorporate motion capture into their art continues to amaze. Our goal remains to provide content creators with the best tools for creating believable 3D character motion conveniently and affordably without the need of a studio space, special lighting or background.”

Machinima Expo is co-produced by Ricky Grove, who has been at the forefront of the machinima community as a voice actor and sound designer for over 10 years. He’s also a contributing editor for the respected renderosity.com website and recently called iPi Motion Capture 3.0 “an excellent application that will continue to get better.”

“iPi Soft’s markerless motion capture software is changing the way that machinima directors animate their films,” Grove says. “Forget the clunky, robotic character animation that you see in many machinima films. iPi Motion Capture lets you quickly animate characters realistically right in your living room. We’re proud to partner again with iPi Soft to present this cost-effective and simple method of motion capture to this year’s Expo attendees.”

More on Ricky’s blog: http://machinima-expo.com/v3/ipi-soft-to-co-sponsor-the-machinima-expo-7/

iPi- Mach Expo web imagejpg

About iPi Soft:

Launched in 2008 by CEO and Chief Technology Architect Michael Nikonov, iPi

Soft, LLC is the Moscow-based developer of iPi Motion Capture, a markerless motion capture software tool that uses sophisticated image processing and computer vision algorithms to recognize and track the human body. The company’s breakthrough technology digitizes the movement of a human skeleton, rendering it in expressive 3D characters for video games or computer generated films. Additional information on iPi Soft is available at http://tst.ipisoft.com.

All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. 

Media Contact

Vicky Gray-Clark/Ambient Public Relations

p. 408-318-1980 e. vicky@ambientpr.com

Ray Ecke/Right Word Media

p. 973-726-3797 e. ray@rightwordmedia.com

 

Version 3.0 Press-Release

Posted on: November 6th, 2014

iPi Soft Unveils iPi Motion Capture Version 3.0

Next Generation Markerless Motion Capture Solution Features Support For

Kinect 2 Sensor, Tracking Speed Increase And A New Subscription Payment Model

____________________

MOSCOW, RUSSIA November 06, 2014 – iPi Soft, LLC, developers of the iPi Motion Capture line of markerless motion capture technology, today announced the availability of iPi Motion Capture Version 3.0.The next generation motion capture solution delivers a number of impressive new features for improved workflow, including support for the new Microsoft Kinect 2 sensor, increased tracking speed, improved arm and leg tracking and a simplified calibration process that gives even entry level motion capture enthusiasts the ability to obtain quality mocap data easily and quickly.

 

 Kinects-2  Recorder-screenshot-1-3

Kinect 2 Sensors

iPi Recorder Redesigned User Interface

 

Additionally, iPi Soft has unveiled a new subscription payment model with options for a year subscription for frequent software users or a three-month plan for those that only need the software on a limited per-project basis.

“The latest enhancements in iPi Motion Capture V 3.0 coupled with support for Microsoft’s Kinect 2 sensor delivers an elevated experience to creative professionals and enthusiasts, and introduction of the new subscription pricing model makes our solution even more affordable,” Michael Nikonov, iPi Soft’s Founder/Chief Technology Architect, says. “The faster algorithms, simplified calibration and improved limbs tracking will give our customers — amateurs, pros and everyone in between — powerful performance tools to express their creativity.”

Nikonov notes that iPi Motion Capture V 3.0’s compatibility with the Microsoft Kinect 2 sensor lets users get closer to the camera, thus further reducing overall space requirements, while new calibration algorithms simplifies the camera set up process and ensures more accurate tracking.

Key Highlights in iPi Motion Capture Version 3.0 

With the new iPi Motion Capture Version 3.0, customers can take advantage of:

  • 10-20% faster tracking algorithms
  • Improved calibration of multi-camera system with no need to manually align cameras. Also, comprehensive feedback on calibration quality can save a lot of time preventing use of incorrect calibration data for tracking.
  • Improved tracking for arms and legs with less tracking errors.
  • Redesigned user interface

Additionally, there are several features related to the Kinect 2 sensor that iPi Soft plans to offer users in the near future. These include distributed recording (which will allow recording multiple Kinect 2 sensors using several PCs); up to 12-camera support; substantially increased tracking speed; selected limb cleanup; and three actor tracking.

The new version of iPi Motion Capture comes on the heels of growing industry acceptance among some of the industry’s leading entertainment production companies and videogame developers, including Rodeo FX, The Graphics Film Company and Ghost Town Media.

Brandon Parvini, Creative Director at LA-based post-production studio Ghost Town Media, notes that iPi Motion Capture is extremely intuitive and takes just a half an hour to setup and calibrate. With 3.0, he looks forward to reduced setup time and improved tracking.

“Our experience with iPi Soft has been great,” Parvini says. “The software has become an important part of our new pipeline and we’re currently using it extensively on a new high-profile feature film project. iPi Motion Capture is part of a small crop of ‘new-school’ platforms that are helping to move the industry forward.”

 Kinect_Calibration_Flashlight_Completed

iPi Mocap Studio Redesigned User Interface

Pricing and Availability:

Beginning with iPi Motion Capture V 3.0, iPi Soft is introducing a subscription-based pricing model. Prices range from $45.00 to $1,195.00 depending on the version of software (Express, Basic, Pro) and duration of subscription. Customers who purchased iPi Motion Capture Version 2 software after July 1st, 2014 will receive a free 1-year subscription of Version 3. Customers with iPi Motion Capture Version 2 or Version 1 will receive a one-time 50-percent discount for a 1-year subscription of Version 3. Upgrading to Version 3 is optional, and a free 30-days trial for Version 3 is available here: http://tst.ipisoft.com/download/

Early adopters can take advantage of iPi Soft’s 30-percent discount offer for a one-year subscription available through Nov 30th. More info about the discount is available here: http://tst.ipisoft.com/2014/11/version-3-welcome-discount/.

Additional details about iPi Soft’s new version and multi-tiered subscription pricing can be found here: http://tst.ipisoft.com/store/version-3-0/

Press-release in PDF>>

About iPi Soft:

Launched in 2008 by CEO and Chief Technology Architect Michael Nikonov, iPi Soft, LLC is the Moscow-based developer of iPi Motion Capture™, a markerless motion capture software tool that uses sophisticated image processing and computer vision algorithms to recognize and track the human body. The company’s breakthrough technology digitizes the movement of a human skeleton, rendering it in expressive 3D characters for video games or computer generated films. For additional information, on iPi Soft, product pricing or a 30-day free trial please visit, http://tst.ipisoft.com.

All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Media Contacts:

Ambient PR, Vicky Gray-Clark, vicky@ambientpr.com, 408-318-1980

Right Word Media, Ray Ecke, ray@rightwordmedia.com, 973-726-3797

# # #

Brandon Parvini at 2014 World Animation & VFX Summit

Posted on: October 20th, 2014

***MEDIA ALERT ***

Brandon Reza Parvini, Creative Director at Ghost Town Media
to Appear at 2014 World Animation & VFX Summit

Motion Capture Enthusiast and VFX and Motion Graphics Design Luminary
to Talk about the Role of iPi Motion Capture Technology
on ‘21st Century Tools of the Trade” Session

__________________

Moscow, Russia – October 20th — iPi Soft, is pleased to announce that Brandon Reza Parvini, Creative Director at LA-based Ghost Town Media, an interdisciplinary visual effects and design boutique that relies on the company’s markerless iPi Motion Capture software in production, will be a featured panelist at the World Animation & VFX Summit, November 2 – 5, 2014 in Los Angeles.

With the goal of shaping the future of worldwide animation and visual effects by connecting like-minded Industry leaders ranging from studio executives, producers, agents, distributors, technology providers and talent, face-to-face in a warm and intimate club environment, this year’s Summit theme centers on  “A Year of Reinvention and Renovation.”

Parvini will join the21st Century Tools of the Trade session with other creative luminaries to explore some of the latest innovations and technologies and strategies for success used at Ghost Town Media that foster creative excellence on film, international branding, broadcast commercials and live-visuals for the world’s top performers including Muse, Linkin Park and global brands such as Mercedes and Absolut. Parvini is currently using iPi Soft technology on a high profile project for feature film producton company Blum House (Paranormal Activity, Insidious, The Purge) and Universal Studios.

While at Ghost Town, Parvini has taken on various key roles including creative, technical and overall pipeline director in order to propel the company forward and push past the notions of what a small studio is capable of producing. As a result, Parvini has developed key relationships with hardware and software developers in order to help influence and embolden the technology that enables artists.

We were excited to bring iPi Motion Capture into the studio production pipeline for initial testing last year and so far our experience has been great,” says Parvini. “The system is very intuitive and takes about half an hour of setup and you’re able to start capturing. The software is part of a small crop of ‘new-school’ platforms that are helping to motivate the field forward and I’m looking forward to talking about it at the Summit.

Session Highlight

Session: “21st Century Tools of the Trade”

Date/Time: Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2:15 – 3:15 pm

The World Animation and VFX Summit

The World Animation and VFX Summit takes place November 2 – 5, 2014 as follows:

Location

California Yacht Club

4469 Admiralty Way

Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

(818) 883-2884

Conference session times and agenda are available here.

About iPi Motion Capture

Introduced in 2009, iPi Motion Capture has been gaining momentum as a professional and reliable alternative for capturing animation data without the need for expensive green-screen stages, clumsy sensor suits with reflective markers or a team of technicians. The software uses sophisticated image processing and computer vision algorithms to recognize and track the human body. The digitally captured movement is then applied to a 3D character and rendered as part of a video game or a computer generated movie.

Members of the Press:

Parvini will be onsite at the Summit on November 5th and available for one-on-one briefings except from 2:15 p.m. — 3:15 p.m. during his presentation.

Please contact Vicky Gray-Clark, Ambient Public Relations, (408) 318-1980, vicky@ambientpr.com to schedule an appointment. Alternate briefing opportunities are available to those not attending the conference by phone/Skype.

 

Additional information on iPi Soft is available as follows:

Website: http://tst.ipisoft.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Motion-Capture-Software-from-iPi-Soft/138756049507804

Twitter: https://twitter.com/iPiSoft

All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

#   #  #

Media Contact

Vicky Gray-Clark / Ambient PR / vicky@ambientpr.com / 408-318-1980

Ray Ecke / Right Word Media / ray@rightwordmedia.com / 973-726-3797

Media Alert in PDF>>