http://igl.ethz.ch/projects/character-articulation-input-device/

Throw Out The Mouse! – New Joystick For Animators

This software and hardware allow an animator to physically manipulate an object, which the software instantly translates into movement. Yes, this replaces using a mouse to change movements a frame at a time.

Go from defining joint angles with a 2D mouse to shaping 3D skeletons in real time.

For the video and source of image: http://igl.ethz.ch/projects/character-articulation-input-device/tangible-and-modular-input-device-for-character-articulation.mp4

Interactive Geometry Lab

Interactive Geometry Lab at ETH Zurich in collaboration with the Autonomous Systems Lab (ALS) developed this software and hardware, the team is led by ETH-professor Olga Sorkine-Hornung.

The input puppet is a set of 3D-modular constructed printed blocks, which have integrated sensors to respond to angle of bend or twist in motion. All this is transferred to software that calculates how the CG characters should move.

To speed development the building blocks are being released as open hardware, which you can find more about here: http://igl.ethz.ch/projects/character-articulation-input-device/.

More on the 3D joystick can be found in the article on gizmag by Colin Jeffrey: http://www.gizmag.com/modular-3d-joystick-input-device-for-animation-artists/32745/

Now for some information about IGL’s collaborator, which is Autonomous Systems Lab (ASL).

Autonomous Systems Lab creates robots and intelligent systems that are able to autonomously operate in complex and diverse environments.

The opportunity is offered for research and training: “We welcome visitors to explore our research and education pages as well as students from all engineering disciplines, especially ME, EE and CS, to join our Master Program in “Robotics, Systems and Control” and to participate in one of our diverse student-projects.”

Finally, for the technically minded you can find the Autonomous Systems Lab YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/AutonomousSystemsLab.

Melanie Phillibert

Dreamlight Content Management and Support

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Val Cameron