Motion Capture for Human Tasks

Motion Capture for Human Tasks (also called “IPSI for V6” or simply “IV6”) is a new tool enabling the streaming of Motion Capture data into V6, in order to animate human models in real-time. More than just a software connector, IV6 is a complex simulation software module based on real-time rigid-body physics.

The first benefit of IV6 is the ability to create new human skills, based on the real motion of a human operator. The human operator performs the task at real speed, and the system generates a Gesture Activity containing the sequence of postures with a high degree of details, up to 100 key-frames per second if needed. The Gesture Activity can be transferred into a new generic skill, which can be reused later on for building complex animations with a very high realism of motion. 

But the real power of the solution lies in the first-person experience for the human operator. Through the motion capture device, he is controlling the human model as an avatar of his own body. When combined with a head-mounted-display (HMD) or an immersive visualisation device, the operator can see the CAD model through the eyes of the avatar, and manipulate objects with its hands.

Depending on the scenario, the avatar may have the same anthropometry as the operator, or a very different one. But even with differing body sizes, the system generates relevant postures, thus greatly simplifying validation studies such as reachability, visibility, accessibility, etc.

The core of IV6 is a real-time rigid-body simulation. As a consequence, the human model is not just a visual avatar, but a real actor of the 3D environment. It can pick and place objects, operate tools, push furniture around, etc. Moreover, the physics simulation ensures that the avatar does not pass through obstacles, but stops at their contact and slides on their surface. Therefore, the resulting animation is always free of clash.