Integrating Biomechanical and Animation Motion Capture Methods in the Production of Participant Specific, Scaled Avatars

Abstract

3D motion capture of human movement in animation and biomechanics has developed in relatively separate and parallel domains. The two disciplines use different language, software, computational models and have different aims. As a result, in the life sciences, human movement is predominantly analyzed as non-visual biomechanical data. Whereas human movement visualization in animation typically lacks the accuracy outside of that required in the entertainment industry. This project draws from both disciplines to develop a novel approach in the creation of participant specific, motion capture skeletons which are retargeted onto participant specific, anatomically scaled, humanoid avatars. The customized motion capture marker placement, skeleton and character scaling used in this new approach aims to retain a high level of movement fidelity and minimize discrepancies between participant and avatar movement. This process has been used in the visualization of aesthetic movement such as dance and provides a step towards the generation of a digital double which can facilitate full body immersion into digital environments.