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We Need Beta Testers for iPisoft Kinect Studio.

We need testers for iPiStudio experimental release 1.2.0.119

The latest release can be downloaded from:

http://www.truebones.com

As new release implements new copy protection technology, we would like to collect some feedback before making a full official release.

As a bonus for early adopters, the new release resets 30-days trial and removes 5-seconds limitation for animation export for Kinect .

After installing this pre-release you should skip auto-update (otherwise auto-update will downgrade you to previous version).

Changes in new version:
* New copy protection technology with online activation.
* Updated EULA (section 2.1) to reflect changes to copy protection technology.
* Reset of 30-days free trial. If your trial of previous version has expired, you can install this version and enjoy additional 30 days of free trial.
* Removed 5 seconds limitation on exported animation length for Kinect trial version.
* New visualization for depth videos (the “Hide background” option in “View” menu).
* Updated documentation.
* Minor bug fixes.

Replies

  • pior
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    pior grand marshal polycounter
    Hi there!

    Just wanted to say that I've been using the previous version from a months back and got surprisingly good results out of it. Truly impressive stuff, I cannot wait to try the new one!
    http://vimeo.com/23525521

    BTW, what is the best way to provide feedback and suggestions for the program ?
  • pior
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    pior grand marshal polycounter
    Yeah, because it uses 4 cameras. That you have to setup and calibrate all around a room.
  • RexM
    Well I'm not much of an animation guy, so I can't help there; but...

    This looks legit. Very good looking animations.
  • Ged
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    Ged interpolator
    very interesting, any idea how well this would work with unity? I assume it would work as well as any other mocap but may require a lot of cleaning?
  • polybones
    Heres some updated videos regarding.

    http://bit.ly/qYJquJ
  • r_fletch_r
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    r_fletch_r polycounter lvl 9
    they took our jawbs!
  • polybones
    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa1sKzQ31so"]Dual microsoft kinect camera sensors and iPiSoft, Yoda and Charlie Chaplin - YouTube[/ame] Hows this look?


    I think the Dual Kinects is more powerful than 6 PS3 cams.

  • thatanimator
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    thatanimator polycounter lvl 6
    I've been thinking about getting a kinect mocap solution for quite some time now!
    Didn't even know about the PSEye one, but shit does THAT look good!.. screw if you need 4/6 cameras, I could place them in the corners of my living room (granted they can capture far away objects, maybe occlusion would be too much) and have myself a vicon looking setup!

    but yeah, both these solutions look good as shit!
    not a bunch of sliding feet or anything. pior's video showed a tad of sliding, but totally manageable and even at that state, to me, acceptable.

    fuck me, gonna have to get on board with these kind of things soon!
  • slipsius
    Ya. I have to agree with polybones. duel kinects is far more superior than a bunch of playstation eyes. I did a test with 3 eyes, and i found even just ONE kinect was better.
  • thatanimator
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    thatanimator polycounter lvl 6
    ^ no shit? wow ok.. :) I still like the idea of a bunch of cameras all over the apartment though! ;D
  • mLichy
    Polybones looks really great. Awesome job!
  • thatanimator
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    thatanimator polycounter lvl 6
    been checking out some of the documentation videos all through out the day..
    getting somewhat hyped about this :)

    the 600 dollar price tag is fairly high though, wondering if you get access to upcoming versions, patches and such or if that is a one time charge for just one version of the software?

    also, got a ps3 eye right now, noticed it mentioned that on the requirements, would it then be possible to some how utilize the camera that I already have together with the two kinects one would have to buy?
  • slipsius
    Ged, Im actually working with this program, putting it in Unity. Im still doing tests to be able to put them all onto 1 file like Unity likes, but once I get it all sorted out, Ill let you know how. But, I am also new to animation layers, and editting mocap data. Teaching myself.

    But you dont need motion builder. You can use Max or even Maya (2011 and up). Im using Maya 2012, and I actually find it much easier to use than motionbuilder. The characterization is a simple click, click done. No scrolling through lists of bones. super easy and fast. Although, it is a new feature in 2011, and I find it very buggy. If you use Undo, you basically have to start over.... But luckily the whole process only takes a minute or 2 to characterize and transfer motion, so its not a huge deal if you have to restart.


    You can actually import your custom skeleton into iPi and bake the animation onto your bones, then import the baked skeleton into maya and just copy and paste all the keys onto your skinned character. you can do that with multiple animations, so Ive gotten more than 1 animation onto the skeleton (and working in Unity). But, the cleanup is what is getting me

    @thatanimator, you dont have to buy 2 kinects. you can use just one psEye, but, with 1 psEye, it wont be very accurate at all, and any sort limb going behind your body and you`re effed. With my tests, even with 3 eyes, the feet tracking was horrible, and I just found it alot harder to pose the character in iPi to my first pose in the animation, since it is a bunch of 2d images. With Kinects, it uses a depth video, which lets you, in program, spin around in 3d like in maya or max, and gives you a nice little 3d printout of your room and you, so you can pose them alot easier and see exactly where to place arms and legs in all axis.

    That being said, I think your question was can you use 1 eye WITH 2 kinects? I havent tried it, so im not really sure if its possible, but I would say without a doubt, you dont even need to. The psEye has bad quality. The kinects raw depth video has such a higher quality, If you tried it out, you`d realize right away its better to just stick with 2 kinects.
  • thatanimator
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    thatanimator polycounter lvl 6
    well I have to buy 2 kinects as I have 0 atm, and if I'm gonna do this I want the 2 kinect solution ;D

    but ok, the Eye isn't good..got it! :)
  • polybones
    iPi Desktop Motion Capture™ is a breakthrough markerless motion capture digital content creation software tool that uses sophisticated image processing and computer vision algorithms to recognize and track the human body.:poly108:

    The iPi Basic system is designed for use with 1 or 2 Xbox Kinects or 3 to 4 webcams (Sony PS Eye recommended).

    iPi Soft Mocap brings a low-cost professional solution for capturing accurate animation data comparable to expensive traditional marker-based mocap systems, without the need for expensive facility space, clumsy sensor suits with reflective markers or a team of technicians.

    iPi Motion Capture is a desktop solution that brings a totally new workflow paradigm to filmmakers, CG animator broadcast motion graphics designers, videogame developers and prosumers in entertainment, military and other vertical markets.

    You can record a video right at your workplace using a Microsoft Kinect sensors or webcams and have it converted to 3D animation on your PC. Captured animations do not exhibit artifacts like jitter or foot skate and can be easily exported in popular animation formats including FBX, BVH and COLLADA.

    With integrated motion transfer, animations can instantly be re-targeted to custom rigs and skeletons, including 3D MAX Biped. iPi Mocap is compatible with many leading game engines, 3D software applications and animation rigs, including MAXON CINEMA 4D, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3D Studio Max, DAZ 3D DAZ Studio, Poser, Valve Source Engine, Unreal Engine, Unity and others.

    The technology is accurate, easy to use and affordable. Free 30-days trial is available from Truebones. (With Updated Calibrator)


    DOWNLOAD iPiSoft Basic DEMO HERE
    http://www.truebones.com
  • polybones
    Thanks, Let me know if you have any questions.:poly121:
    ^ no shit? wow ok.. :) I still like the idea of a bunch of cameras all over the apartment though! ;D
  • polybones
    Thanks for watching my videos regarding iPiSoft Basic.
    mLichy wrote: »
    Polybones looks really great. Awesome job!
  • polybones
    iPiSoft is a One Time Charge, With Full Updates.

    A minimum of 3 Ps3s are required for iPiSoft basic.

    No, You could not utilize your 1 ps3 cam. (Nor would you want to)

    more info here. http://bit.ly/iPiSoftProductsCatalog
    been checking out some of the documentation videos all through out the day..
    getting somewhat hyped about this :)

    the 600 dollar price tag is fairly high though, wondering if you get access to upcoming versions, patches and such or if that is a one time charge for just one version of the software?

    also, got a ps3 eye right now, noticed it mentioned that on the requirements, would it then be possible to some how utilize the camera that I already have together with the two kinects one would have to buy?
  • polybones
    Ive used Unity, SO I can help you.

    Put all yo ur animations in one folder called TrollANimations

    The Name one of the FBX files "Troll.Fbx" inside that folder.

    From then on use this naming. Troll1@Troll.FBX naming conventions.

    So your Troll folder would look like

    Troll.Fbx
    Troll1@Troll.FBX
    Troll2@Troll.FBX
    Troll3@Troll.FBX
    Troll4@Troll.FBX
    Troll5@Troll.FBX

    All those animations are now accessible or recallable via script in Unity.

    On the object layer not the scene layer.

    There is another way to do it also utilizing BVh fieles strung together,

    That uses lessload on the Unity Project.

    Also you can use Head tracking in Unity. on top of iPi Motions/ in Unity in Realtime.

    Watch this.

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKXy6W8x93E"]IpiSoft Mocap Kinect Demolay Unity Knight Animation Project - YouTube[/ame] Unity Head Tracking with iPi Motions

    and

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvZS4KiRwxo"]Unity Head Look Controller Script with Mocap Animation Truebones iPiSoft Kinect - YouTube[/ame]

    Both Unity and iPi Proceduaral animation Tutorials

    Yes people are lost on the fact that kinect is not just a camera,

    Its a wicked lazer beam heat sensor as well...Did I mention it also contains an audio array? Thats 6 Microphones built into that little puppy...

    LEt me know if you have any questions...
    slipsius wrote: »
    Ged, Im actually working with this program, putting it in Unity. Im still doing tests to be able to put them all onto 1 file like Unity likes, but once I get it all sorted out, Ill let you know how. But, I am also new to animation layers, and editting mocap data. Teaching myself.

    But you dont need motion builder. You can use Max or even Maya (2011 and up). Im using Maya 2012, and I actually find it much easier to use than motionbuilder. The characterization is a simple click, click done. No scrolling through lists of bones. super easy and fast. Although, it is a new feature in 2011, and I find it very buggy. If you use Undo, you basically have to start over.... But luckily the whole process only takes a minute or 2 to characterize and transfer motion, so its not a huge deal if you have to restart.


    You can actually import your custom skeleton into iPi and bake the animation onto your bones, then import the baked skeleton into maya and just copy and paste all the keys onto your skinned character. you can do that with multiple animations, so Ive gotten more than 1 animation onto the skeleton (and working in Unity). But, the cleanup is what is getting me

    @thatanimator, you dont have to buy 2 kinects. you can use just one psEye, but, with 1 psEye, it wont be very accurate at all, and any sort limb going behind your body and you`re effed. With my tests, even with 3 eyes, the feet tracking was horrible, and I just found it alot harder to pose the character in iPi to my first pose in the animation, since it is a bunch of 2d images. With Kinects, it uses a depth video, which lets you, in program, spin around in 3d like in maya or max, and gives you a nice little 3d printout of your room and you, so you can pose them alot easier and see exactly where to place arms and legs in all axis.

    That being said, I think your question was can you use 1 eye WITH 2 kinects? I havent tried it, so im not really sure if its possible, but I would say without a doubt, you dont even need to. The psEye has bad quality. The kinects raw depth video has such a higher quality, If you tried it out, you`d realize right away its better to just stick with 2 kinects.

    Yes you are right! Its is a great realiable animation system as is.

    I know, Ive been using it for 6 months now. The above video was done with only one kinect camera in iPiSoft Express.

    iPiSoft Baisc Edition is Twice as fast and recently upgraded with a new Kinect Sensor calibrator.

    The results from iPiSoft Basic Edition are at least twice as accurate and smooth too.
  • polybones
    Hey buddy,

    A little advise, Go with the Kinect Solution first.

    The Ps3 setup is pretty tough calibration.

    The kinect Calibration is over 100 times faster.

    Thats the fastest route to get up to speed with this stuff.

    Dont forget to download your iPiSoft Basic demo from http://www.truebones.com

    I've been thinking about getting a kinect mocap solution for quite some time now!
    Didn't even know about the PSEye one, but shit does THAT look good!.. screw if you need 4/6 cameras, I could place them in the corners of my living room (granted they can capture far away objects, maybe occlusion would be too much) and have myself a vicon looking setup!

    but yeah, both these solutions look good as shit!
    not a bunch of sliding feet or anything. pior's video showed a tad of sliding, but totally manageable and even at that state, to me, acceptable.

    fuck me, gonna have to get on board with these kind of things soon!
  • polybones
    Recent iPi Change History

    Latest version: 1.3.1.123:
    * Improved calibration algorithm for dual Kinect configuration.
    * Improved accuracy for Kinect cameras – taking non-square pixels into account.
    * Minor UI improvement: support for drag-and-drop of video and project files.
    * Minor bug fix in activation dialog with Clipboard
    Version 1.3.0.122:
    * Fixed the bug with wrong field of view for Kinect in newly created projects.
    * Changed default diagonal field of view for Kinect to 69 degrees (a more correct value).
    Version 1.3.0.121:
    * Support for two Kinects: calibration and tracking (beta)
    * RGB playback from MS Kinect Sensor
    * Hot keys for Pose Copy/Paste/Delete menu items
    * Setting for viewport background color (“View” -> “Viewport Background Color” in main menu)
    * Bug fix for motion transfer (crash on custom rig import).
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