Repurpose 2D Animations for a VR Environment using BDH Shape Interpolation

Virtual Reality technology has spread rapidly in recent years. However, its growth risks ending soon due to the absence of quality content, except for few exceptions. We present an original framework that allows artists to use 2D characters and animations in a 3D Virtual Reality environment, in order to give an easier access to the production of content for the platform. In traditional platforms, 2D animation represents a more economic and immediate alternative to 3D. The challenge in adapting 2D characters to a 3D environment is to interpret the missing depth information. A 2D character is actually flat, so there is not any depth information, and every body part is at the same level of the others. We exploit mesh interpolation, billboarding and parallax scrolling to simulate the depth between each body segment of the character. We have developed a prototype of the system, and extensive tests with a 2D animation production show the effectiveness of our framework

Repurpose 2D Character Animations for a VR Environment Using BDH Shape Interpolation.

Virtual Reality technology has spread rapidly in recent years. However, its growth risks ending soon due to the absence of quality content, except for few exceptions. We present an original framework that allows artists to use 2D characters and animations in a 3D Virtual Reality environment, in order to give an easier access to the production of content for the platform. In traditional platforms, 2D animation represents a more economic and immediate alternative to 3D. The challenge in adapting 2D characters to a 3D environment is to interpret the missing depth information. A 2D character is actually flat, so there is not any depth information, and every body part is at the same level of the others. We exploit mesh interpolation, billboarding and parallax scrolling to simulate the depth between each body segment of the character. We have developed a prototype of the system, and extensive tests with a 2D animation production show the effectiveness of our framework

Sketch2Pose : estimating a 3D character pose from a bitmap sketch

Artists frequently capture character poses via raster sketches, then use these drawings as a reference while posing a 3D character in a specialized 3D software --- a time-consuming process, requiring specialized 3D training and mental effort. We tackle this challenge by proposing the first system for automatically inferring a 3D character pose from a single bitmap sketch, producing poses consistent with viewer expectations. Algorithmically interpreting bitmap sketches is challenging, as they contain significantly distorted proportions and foreshortening. We address this by predicting three key elements of a drawing, necessary to disambiguate the drawn poses: 2D bone tangents, self-contacts, and bone foreshortening. These elements are then leveraged in an optimization inferring the 3D character pose consistent with the artist's intent. Our optimization balances cues derived from artistic literature and perception research to compensate for distorted character proportions. We demonstrate a gallery of results on sketches of numerous styles. We validate our method via numerical evaluations, user studies, and comparisons to manually posed characters and previous work

Space-time sketching of character animation

International audienceWe present a space-time abstraction for the sketch-based design of character animation. It allows animators to draft a full coordinated motion using a single stroke called the space-time curve (STC). From the STC we compute a dynamic line of action (DLOA) that drives the motion of a 3D character through projective constraints. Our dynamic models for the line's motion are entirely geometric, require no pre-existing data, and allow full artistic control. The resulting DLOA can be refined by over-sketching strokes along the space-time curve, or by composing another DLOA on top leading to control over complex motions with few strokes. Additionally , the resulting dynamic line of action can be applied to arbitrary body parts or characters. To match a 3D character to the 2D line over time, we introduce a robust matching algorithm based on closed-form solutions, yielding a tight match while allowing squash and stretch of the character's skeleton. Our experiments show that space-time sketching has the potential of bringing animation design within the reach of beginners while saving time for skilled artists

Interfaces for human-centered production and use of computer graphics assets

L'abstract è presente nell'allegato / the abstract is in the attachmen

Sketch-Based Animation Tool for Character Animation Intergrating into a Production Pipeline

Creating appealing character poses can be time-consuming in an animation production pipeline incorporating skeletal-based character rigs. Animators utilize point-and- click input devices such as a mouse and keyboard to manipulate the character pose, rather than interacting intuitively as they would in a hand-drawn medium. This paper describes a sketch-based animation tool integrated into Autodesk Maya, enabling nondestructive and spatially accurate control over the animation of the line of action of arms, legs and spines. The tool provides a faster and more natural method for animators to pose and animate CG characters compared to mouse and keyboard input

Storytelling in the Metaverse: From Desktop to Immersive Virtual Reality Storyboarding

Creatives from the animation and film industries have always been experimenting with innovative tools and methodologies to improve the creation of prototypes of their visual sequences before bringing them to life. In recent years, as realistic real-time rendering techniques have emerged, the increasing popularity of virtual reality (VR) can lead to new approaches and solutions, leveraging the immersive and interactive features provided by 3D immersive experiences. A 3D desktop application and a novel storyboarding pipeline, which can automatically generate a storyboard including camera details and a textual description of the actions performed in three-dimensional environments, have already been investigated in previous work. The aim was to exploit new technologies to improve existing 3D storytelling approaches, thus providing a software solution for expert and novice storyboarders. This research investigates 3D storyboarding in immersive virtual reality (IVR) to move toward a new storyboarding paradigm. IVR systems provide peculiarities such as body-controlled exploration of the 3D scene and a head-dependant camera view that can extend features of traditional storyboarding tools. The proposed system enables users to set up the virtual stage, adding elements to the scene and exploring the environment as they build it. After that, users can select the available characters or the camera, control them in first person, position them in the scene, and perform actions selecting from a list of options, each paired with a corresponding animation. Relying on the concept of state-machine, the system can automatically generate the list of available actions depending on the context. Finally, the descriptions for each storyboard panel are automatically generated based on the history of activities performed. The proposed application maintains all the functionalities of the desktop version and can be effectively used to create storyboards in immersive virtual environments

Spatial Motion Doodles: Sketching Animation in VR Using Hand Gestures and Laban Motion Analysis

International audienceWe present a method for easily drafting expressive character animation by playing with instrumented rigid objects. We parse the input 6D trajectories (position and orientation over time)-called spatial motion doodles-into sequences of actions and convert them into detailed character animations using a dataset of parameterized motion clips which are automatically fitted to the doodles in terms of global trajectory and timing. Moreover, we capture the expres-siveness of user-manipulation by analyzing Laban effort qualities in the input spatial motion doodles and transferring them to the synthetic motions we generate. We validate the ease of use of our system and the expressiveness of the resulting animations through a series of user studies, showing the interest of our approach for interactive digital storytelling applications dedicated to children and non-expert users, as well as for providing fast drafting tools for animators

Developing The Attitude And Creativity In Mathematics Education

The structures in a traditionally-organized classroom of mathematics teaching can usually be linked readily with the routine classroom activities of teacher-exposition and teacher-supervised desk work, teacher’s initiation, teacher’s direction and strongly teacher’s expectations of the outcome of student learning. If the teacher wants to develop appropriate attitude and creativities in mathematics teaching learning it needs for him to develop innovation in mathematics teaching. The teacher may face challenge to develop various style of teaching i.e. various and flexible method of teaching, discussion method, problem-based method, various style of classroom interaction, contextual and or realistic mathematics approach. To develop mathematical attitude and creativity in mathematics teaching learning processes, the teacher may understand the nature and have the highly skill of implementing the aspects of the following: mathematics teaching materials, teacher’s preparation, student’s motivation and apperception, various interactions, small-group discussions, student’s works sheet development, students’ presentations, teacher’s facilitations, students’ conclusions, and the scheme of cognitive development.In the broader sense of developing attitude and creativity of mathematics learning, the teacher may needs to in-depth understanding of the nature of school mathematics, the nature of students learn mathematics and the nature of constructivism in learning mathematics. Key Word: mathematical attitude, creativity in mathematics, innovation of mathematics teaching,school mathematics