Live Animation theater: Using Facial tracking and Cue Handling to execute live theater performance with interactive, animated characters

Nielsen, Martin Bach

4. term

Medialogy, Master

2012

2012-05-31

52

Denne afhandling beskriver designet af to systemer til realtids-animeret teater—liveforestillinger med virtuelle karakterer. Det første system oversætter ansigtsfangst i 2D til 3D-ansigtsbevægelse og overfører den til digitale figurer. Det indeholder støjfiltrering, som gør animationen mere jævn, samt en løsning til at håndtere manglende billedrammer (frames) under en forestilling. Det andet system håndterer teater-cues: det lader en stage manager oprette en liste over hændelser og udløse dem i takt med forestillingens tempo. Begge systemer er implementeret i spilmotoren Unity, som var et udgangspunkt for projektet. Afhandlingen skitserer forsøg til at teste systemerne, men der var endnu ikke indsamlet data ved afleveringen.

This thesis documents the design of two systems for real-time animated theater—live performances that use virtual characters. The first system converts 2D facial capture into 3D facial motion and applies it to digital characters. It includes noise filtering to smooth the animation and a way to handle missing frames during a performance. The second system manages theatrical cues: it lets a stage manager set up a list of events and trigger them in step with the pace of the show. Both systems are implemented in the Unity game engine, as specified at the start of the project. The thesis outlines experiments intended to test the systems, but no data had been collected at the time of submission.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

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