iPi Soft Set To Unveil iPi Motion Capture Version 2.0

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Press Release from iPi Soft

MOSCOW, RUSSIA -  iPi Soft [1], LLC, announced that iPi Motion Capture™ Version 2.0 [2] -- the next generation in the company’s scalable line of markerless motion capture [3] technology -- is scheduled for availability in Spring 2012. Featuring improved accuracy and workflow enhancements, the new version increases support for female characters, as well as an array of motion sensor devices, including ASUS Xtion and Kinect for Windows.

Michael Nikonov, Founder and Chief Technology Architect of iPi Soft, notes that given the interactive nature of today’s 3D video games, designers need reliable and accurate desktop tools that go beyond recording a traditional 2D video of an actor to help meet the challenges of compositing believable characters into immersive 3D environments. 

“Motion capture is such an expressive medium for video game developers and digital filmmakers and the advancements coming to version 2.0 will provide users the ultimate solution of a personalized, markerless motion capture desktop solution for creating truly believable 3D character motion,” said Nikonov. “Despite the incredible diversity of CG worlds created by today’s video game designers, realistic human characters remain the core of compelling storytelling in most videogames today.”

Introduced in 2009, iPi Motion Capture has been gaining momentum as a professional and reliable alternative for capturing animation data without the need for expensive facility space, clumsy sensor suits with reflective markers or a team of technicians. The software uses sophisticated image processing and computer vision algorithms to recognize and track the human body and lets users shoot video using one or two MS Kinect motion sensing input devices or three to six Sony PlayStation Eye cameras. The digitally captured movement is then applied to a 3D character and rendered as part of a video game or a computer generated movie. One area of growing interest is with machinima, the animation genre in which filmmakers use iPi Motion Capture and existing graphics from videogames to create something wholly original.

For David Gonzalez, President of Mission Critical Studios, a New Jersey-based developer of mobile games, the software has proven to be a game-changer in how they work.

“iPi Motion Capture is so powerful and cost effective,” Gonzalez says. “It’s fantastic to be able to come up with an idea and in a few minutes record exactly what you want and apply it to your characters. iPi is what mocap should be all about -- making your ideas reality in a matter of minutes.“   

Key Highlights of iPi Motion Capture Version 2.0 

With the new iPi Motion Capture Version 2.0, customers can take advantage of: 

• New actor appearance models and skeleton structure with improved accuracy in multiple person tracking, props tracking and head/hands tracking
• New project file format, including data for fingers and props
• Improved tracking accuracy
• Optimized tracking of female characters 
• New custom “iPi Video” format with useful features specific to motion capture use
• Better video compression offering higher compression ratios, a plus for users dealing with large amounts of recorded video
• Support for new devices: ASUS Xtion and Kinect for Windows
• Depth and RGB video recording for ASUS Xtion sensor
• Support for latest official Kinect for Windows drivers
• Workflow improvements such as “New project” wizard that makes it easy for new users to get started, and “Recent files” caching for advanced users.

Pricing and Availability

iPi Soft makes available three editions of its entry-level markerless motion capture technology – Express, Basic and Standard – that differ by the set of available features and complexity of motions that can be tracked. The new iPi Motion Capture Version 2.0 is scheduled for release in Spring 2012. iPi Soft products are available directly from the web site and its worldwide distribution channel. 

About iPi Motion Capture: 

iPi Motion Capture is a markerless motion capture software tool that uses sophisticated image processing and computer vision algorithms to recognize and track the human body. The scalable system supports dual Kinect cameras working at the same time on the same PC capturing complex motions, including 360-degrees turns. It also supports other inexpensive off-the-shelf equipment such as PlayStation Eye cameras and webcams.

iPi Motion Capture 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. Captured animations do not exhibit artifacts like jitter or foot skate and can be exported in popular animation formats including FBX, BVH and COLLADA. The software 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. It also includes an integrated motion transfer engine and supports accurate motion retargeting for custom rigs. 

About iPi Soft:

Launched in 2008 by CEO and Chief Technology Architect Michael Nikonov, iPi Soft, LLC is the Moscow-based developer of iPi Motion Capture, a markerless motion capture software tool that uses sophisticated image processing and computer vision algorithms to recognize and track the human body. The company’s breakthrough technology digitizes the movement of a human skeleton, rendering it in expressive 3D characters for video games or computer generated films. For additional information on iPi Soft, product pricing or a 30-day free trial please visit, http://www.ipisoft.com [4].