Rigid Area Expression Control Using Pose Vectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current animation technologies fail to naturally control and preserve the characteristics of rigid facial features like eyes and jaw with teeth, often resulting in unnatural curvature or distortion when these are controlled similarly to facial skin.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that generate a pose vector based on expression control points to calculate weights and transformation matrices for each rigid area, allowing for natural interpolation of expression changes in avatars, specifically for eyes and jaw, using a face mesh and avatar pose database.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If rigid areas (eyes and jaw with teeth) are controlled in the same manner as facial skin, then the control process is simplified, but the characteristics of rigid objects are not preserved and unnatural curvature or distortion is caused
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the face into rigid areas (eyes, jaw with teeth) and non-rigid areas (facial skin), applying different control methods to each segment. Rigid areas use transformation matrices to preserve geometric characteristics, while non-rigid areas use standard facial animation techniques, thus resolving the contradiction between simplified control and characteristics preservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different control properties to different regions of the face. Rigid areas maintain their geometric characteristics through transformation matrices, while flexible skin areas allow natural deformation. This local differentiation ensures that each region behaves appropriately according to its physical properties, preventing unnatural distortion.
2Manufacturing precision
If transformation matrices are applied to rigid areas, then natural expression is maintained, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control system into two parts: transformation matrix application for rigid areas and standard animation for non-rigid areas. This segmentation allows complex transformation matrices to be applied only where necessary (rigid areas), reducing overall system complexity while maintaining natural expression in those critical regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The transformation matrix framework serves multiple functions: it preserves geometric characteristics, enables natural expression interpolation, and handles both eyes and jaw with teeth. By making this single mechanism multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate complex systems for each rigid area, thereby managing system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for expressing a rigid area based on expression control points that express a motion change of the rigid area with respect to an input expression. The method and apparatus express the rigid area by interpolating a change of expression of an avatar using a weight applied to an expression vector related to a plurality of expression samples to express the input expression and also using a transformation matrix set corresponding to the rigid area of each of the plurality of expression samples.