Research Projects Dynamic Response for Motion Capture Animation Zordan, V. B., Majkowska, A., Chiu, B., Fast, M.

Human motion capture embeds rich detail and style which is diffcult to generate with competing animation synthesis technologies. However, such recorded data requires principled means for creating responses in unpredicted situations, for example those immediately following impact. This paper introduces a novel technique for incorporating unexpected impacts into a motion capture-driven animation system through the combination of a physical simulation which responds to contact forces and a specialized search routine which determines the best plausible reentry into motion library playback following the impact. Our system generates a physics-based response as it transitions between motion capture segments using an actuated dynamic model and smoothly moves the character toward the re-entry clip over time. Our method allows characters to have un-canned responses to unexpected changes in the environment based on the specific dynamic effects of a given contact while also taking advantage of the realistic movement made available through motion capture. We show the results of our system under various conditions and with varying responses using martial arts motion capture as a testbed.

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