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Animatronics Patent: Disney Aims for Realism with Physical Face Cloning

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August 1, 2012
  • Unofficial Disney news source StitchKingdom reports, “one of the pioneering technologies employed by The Walt Disney Company is being updated in a fascinating new way that will attempt to make audio animatronic figures rival the most advanced 3D, high definition screens.”
  • The Physical Face Cloning patent application “seeks to improve upon the decades-old theme park experience by using some complicated algorithms to produce the most life-like audio animatronic figures to date,” suggests the post.
  • Physical Face Cloning will be presented as a SIGGRAPH technical paper in August. According to the conference program, the technology is described as: “A complete process for designing, simulating, and fabricating synthetic skin for an animatronic character that mimics the face of a given subject and its expressions.”
  • The process uses motion capture technology to digitize faces and create life-like synthetic skins from material such as silicone rubber. Directions for attaching the skin to a framework will enable manipulation of the figure to create realistic visuals.
  • According to the patent abstract: “The method includes capturing a plurality of expressive poses from a human subject and generating a computational model based on one or more material parameters… The method further includes optimizing a shape geometry of the synthetic skin based on the computational model and the captured expressive poses. An optimization process is provided that varies the thickness of the synthetic skin based on a minimization of an elastic energy with respect to rest state positions of the synthetic skin.”

Dolby Acquires IMM Sound in Effort to Push Adoption of Atmos Format

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July 31, 2012
  • “Dolby Laboratories has acquired rival digital cinema sound technology company IMM Sound, a privately owned Barcelona-based business, in a move that Dolby believes will help to speed adoption of its new immersive Atmos sound format,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
  • As previously reported on ETCentric, a number of companies have been actively working on the next generation of digital cinema sound, the most high-profile of which has been Dolby’s recent launch of Atmos.
  • “IMM Sound was the company that had something similar to what Dolby was doing,” notes Doug Darrow, senior vice president cinema at Dolby. “We thought if we combine forces, it could allow for more rapid adoption.”
  • “In the broad sense, both systems involve immersing the audience in an aural experience by placing speakers around the perimeter of an auditorium, as well as on the ceiling,” notes THR. “And both offer tools for sound facilities that would enable more sophisticated sound mixes with the notion of placing ‘objects’ versus ‘channels.'”
  • Although similar, the technologies developed by the two companies are considered complementary, according to Darrow. The acquisition will lead to a discontinuation of the IMM Sound brand, while IMM technologies would be used for additional Atmos development.
  • Atmos launched last month in the newly named Dolby Theatre in Hollywood (former Kodak Theatre) when it was used for the premiere of Disney/Pixar’s “Brave.” There are currently about 20 theaters announced as Atmos facilities.
  • “We’d like to see about 1,000 [Atmos] screens next year, worldwide,” Darrow said, anticipating that Atmos may emerge as a de facto standard. “In order to achieve that and to make the industry more unified we thought this [acquisition] was the right thing to do.”

Popularity of 3D Content and Lower Prices Driving Global 3D TV Market

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July 18, 2012
  • Global Industry Analysts has published a comprehensive research report titled “3D TVs: A Global Strategic Business Report” that suggests 3D TV is experiencing a healthy worldwide upswing.
  • “The global market for 3D TVs is projected to exceed 200 million units by 2018, primarily driven by increased consumer interest, falling prices of 3D TVs, and the introduction of 3D standards,” according to the press release.
  • “Other growth drivers include soaring demand for digital media entertainment, growing penetration of high-bandwidth broadband services among households, and rapid proliferation of Internet enabled devices such as smart TVs, smartphones and tablet PCs.”
  • The press release also cites enhancements such as direct-lit LED backlights and ultra-slim form factors, more user-friendly 3D glasses, and a wider range of television size selections as factors that will continue to generate consumer interest.
  • “Improvement in Quality of Service, reduction of deployment times, introduction of innovative service packages and competitive pricing will be critical for 3D TV to gain mass market adoption,” notes the release.

Union Square Partner Urges Content Owners Not to Fear the Future

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May 28, 2012
  • Speaking at the paidContent 2012 conference in New York last week, Fred Wilson of Union Square Ventures said the battle between content owners and tech firms could be avoided if media companies would adapt to digital distribution in order to keep the revenue flowing.
  • “I think those (traditional media) industries will survive and thrive, they just need to move from a fairly monopolistic distribution system to a wide open distribution system,” he said.
  • Wilson cited innovations such as radio, the VCR, and iTunes as historical examples of technologies that provided new revenue, while he suggests that music subscription services will also be successful.
  • “In a perfect world, Wilson said he’d like to see a system similar to a DNS registry in which content owners would register their content and make it available with rules in exchange for copyright enforcement,” reports paidContent. “That’s the fair compensation for society already enforcing the rights of copyright holders, he said.”
  • Has Wilson invested in companies that would make content registries a viable business approach?

Will Adult Entertainment Virtual Convention Serve as Model for Future Events?

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March 7, 2012
  • The adult entertainment industry recently debuted its first ever convention held entirely in a virtual environment.
  • The Adult Entertainment Virtual Convention (AEVC) “brought a worldwide audience of industry professionals, fans and business owners together; and featured seminars, speaker panels, business-to-business networking along with exhibitors showcasing their products via virtual booths. The convention also tickled fan curiosity with adult star meet-and-greets and live cam sessions,” according to a press release posted via SFGate.
  • “It was topped off with an exciting Virtual Awards Show that bestowed winners in various categories of both real and virtual realms,” adds the release.
  • The event may serve as a model for similar approaches from other industries.
  • “The acceptance for the concept of an all-virtual convention was marked by the 8,000 recorded attendees, all of whom logged in online to pass through the virtual doors over the span of the three-day event,” notes the release. “The adult entertainment industry has always been a pioneer of technology, so it may not be long before we see other kinds of businesses experimenting with conventions on a virtual platform.”

XPAND 3D Showcases YOUniversal IR/RF Hybrid Electronic Eyewear

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January 24, 2012
  • XPAND’s new $119 YOUniversal 3D glasses work with both RF and IR protocols.
  • The active shutter glasses feature LCD lenses and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
  • YOUniversal eyewear is programmable to personalize the 3D viewing experience. They come in three sizes and a variety of colors. Frame weight ranges from 1.62 to 1.66 ounces.
  • The company is a founding member of the Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative, which is working to make active shutter glasses interoperable.
  • It supports protocols by LG, Sony, Panasonic, HP, JVC, NVIDIA, Vizio, Bang & Olufsen, Sony, and others.
  • The glasses produced a great 3D image during our demo at CES.

AikenLabs Looks to New Markets for Motion Capture Technology

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January 24, 2012
  • North Carolina-based AikenLabs was demonstrating its motion capture accessory system in the CES Gaming Pavilion.
  • Sensors containing accelerometers and gyros are attached using velcro straps and wirelessly transmit to a server base station.
  • The base station receives signals from eight sensors, and each sensor can have two satellite sensors attached to it, making it possible to capture motion from 24 points on the body.
  • Unlike with the Kinect, motion capture is not restricted by position, line-of-sight to base station or lighting. Other technology would be needed to capture finger motions and facial gestures.
  • The Immersive Motion Desktop Professional Starter Kit with the server and two sensors is available for pre-order at $499. Additional sensors cost $129.
  • Applications include monitoring and providing feedback on body motion for physical therapy, sports instruction and robot controls.

Video Best Friend: Fetch, Toss and Share Over the Web with Shodogg

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January 23, 2012
  • Shodogg uniquely allows you to share videos from any of your devices to any of your other devices over the Web, rather than through a home network.
  • Each of your devices is given a unique Shodogg registration number. You can register any number of devices, but each has a unique ID.
  • Any content that you are able to receive via stream or download can be viewed simultaneously on any of your other devices.
  • You can create a playlist composed of video from multiple sources and share with your friends (for example: Vimeo, Cable DVR, YouTube).
  • The requirement to register each device with a unique number can serve as an impediment to piracy. Although they don’t limit the number of devices an individual can register, if they see an unreasonable number of devices assigned to a single account they said that they would take action.
  • The Shodogg site features a “How It Works” video demo.

Leonar3Do Offers Organic 3D Drawing Tool and Immersive Experience

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January 23, 2012
  • The Leonar3Do system allows you to control objects in 3D space and look around them by moving your head.
  • Both the 3D game play and the drafting tool in the CES booth demo were simple and intuitive.
  • The system includes a drawing “bird” controller, three sensors that attach to the top of the screen, polarized glasses containing chips that the sensors track, and open API software for drawing and game design.
  • The drawing tool is organic and easy-to-use, so training on Leonar3Do is more artistic than procedural. In other words, students learn by pushing the limits of their artistic expression rather than mastering geometries and commands.
  • The University of Iowa uses Leonar3Do throughout their School of Art coursework. Jared Williams, who teaches there, brought some of his students to CES to demonstrate the software in the Leonar3Do booth.
  • They offer an educational version ($1000), and a professional version ($1350).

MakerBot Brings 3D Printing to the Masses, Earns Best of CES Award

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January 16, 2012
  • Brooklyn-based MakerBot Industries was demonstrating two models of its next generation 3D printer — a single head (single color) printer for $1799 and a double head (two color) printer for $1999.
  • The Replicator is a step above MakerBot’s Thing-O-Matic in that it comes pre-assembled and prints objects as large as 8.9×5.7×5.9 inches.
  • The 3D printers use either ABS or PLA plastic filament threads sold at $45/kilogram spools. For reference, a 5-inch tall red chess piece requires less than 30 grams of material valued at under $1.
  • The MakerBot Replicator earned a “CNET Best of CES” award in the Emerging Tech category.
  • According to CNET: “The MakerBot Replicator one-ups the Cube 3D with ‘dualstrusion’ technology, meaning it can print objects in multiple colors and materials.”
  • Pre-orders are available now, shipping in six weeks. Check out the CNET video demo.

TheBlu: Interactive Browser Experience Brings Oceans to Life Online

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January 12, 2012
  • The mission of theBlu is to present the world’s oceans via a Web app as a globally shared art and entertainment experience.
  • MIT Media Lab director Joichi Ito, National Geographic explorer in residence Sylvia Earle, and Oscar winners Andy Jones, Kevin Mack and Louie Psihoyos are involved.
  • “The really interesting thing about theBlu is how it brings together the biology, the activism of conservation, the beauty and the artistic elements as well as the grassroots, participatory social media movement,” explained Ito.
  • Wemo Media, the Venice, CA-based start-up behind the project, just received $2 million in seed funding.
  • The company plans to release additional titles through its media creation platform and invites artists, software engineers, animators, composers and other creatives from around the globe to collaborate.
  • Wemo Media is already working with the MIT Media Lab, USC School of Cinematic Arts and Carnegie Mellon’s Entertainment Technology Center.
  • TheBlu is currently in private beta. Invites are available by request.

DTS Demonstrates 11.1 Sound, Honored for Ultra Mobile

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January 12, 2012
  • DTS algorithms look for audio cues within the 5.1 and 7.1 sound to determine how to distribute it among 11.1 speakers. Two of the 11.1 speakers are positioned above and in front of the listener, adding a discrete third dimension to the aural experience.
  • For example, a sound moving from front left to rear left is probably something passing on the side, while sound moving from front left, center, and right to rear left and right is probably something washing over you.
  • DTS is also featuring music natively produced at 11.1 in their in-booth theater.
  • Additionally, DTS is demonstrating advances in its Envelo sound widening technology; DTS Boost technology that delivers a bigger sound from cellphones and other small speaker devices; DTS Enhanced that restores over-compressed music to a consistent, improved quality; and DTS Symmetry which balances loudness levels as you select from multiple audio sources (change channels).
  • DTS was named a CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards honoree for its integration of DTS Ultra Mobile with the T-Mobile G2x by LG.
  • Where to see it: Central Hall 9443

LG Blast-Chills Beer and Soda in High-End Smart Refrigerators

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January 11, 2012
  • LG Electronics has introduced an enhanced line of connected, smart appliances.
  • The high-end refrigerators know what food they hold and grocery shoppers can remotely enter the items that they are bringing home.
  • The Health Manager application suggests healthy menus based on the ingredients available in the home.
  • The Blast Chiller cools a can of soda in four minutes, versus 20 minutes for a normal refrigerator. Moreover, the Blast Chiller can cool two beers or one bottle of wine in just eight minutes.
  • LG washers, home heating/cooling controls, and other appliances are also remotely controllable and designed to optimize energy efficiency.
  • Where to see it: Central Hall 8204

Cubify Offers a Simple Plug-n-Play 3D Printing Solution for the Home

By
January 11, 2012
  • The Cube, by South Carolina-based 3D Systems, is a $1299 MSRP 3D printer for the home that will be on the consumer market in 3-5 months.
  • The USB and Wi-Fi enabled device is available for pre-order on the Cubify.com beta site.
  • ABS plastic used in printing will be sold for $50/bag. A 2-inch wide printed watchband, for example, uses about $3 of plastic and prints in under three hours.
  • Cubify.com will offer consumers downloadable templates that they can combine and modify, so they don’t have to learn 3D modeling from scratch.
  • The site also offers a 3D printing service for those who opt not to purchase the Cube.
  • Where to see it: Central Hall 13345

Vuzix Demonstrates Impressive Augmented Reality Lens Technology

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January 11, 2012
  • Vuzix, in partnership with Nokia, will have an augmented reality monocular display on the market in Q3 2012 and consumer market augmented reality sunglasses with built-in camera, speakers, microphone, and motion sensors in 2013.
  • The SMART Glasses use fiber optics-like technology to route light in a 1.5mm waveguide from the side of the lens to a 1280×720 color display within the viewable area of the lens.
  • The lens has greater than 95 percent optical transmission and a 30-50 degree viewing angle, depending on the model.
  • The industrial monocular display is ruggedized for industrial and military use.
  • The unit has optional electronic sunglass tint control and integrated head tracker.
  • Where to see it: Central Hall 13646

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