Modelling and Animation of Digital Characters within Multi-platform Production

谢里丹学院将与SideFX，一家领先的计算机图形软件公司合作，以帮助他们实现数字角色建模和动画领域的解决方案的突破性交付。拟议项目将集中研究和开发逼真数字角色的建模，纹理和装配，以提高可信度和观众参与度。重点将放在三个应用领域的数字角色建模和动画上：数字电影和电视;作为电影制作过程一部分的游戏引擎;以及以消费者为中心的虚拟和增强现实体验。后者的应用将包括整合数字角色作为虚拟人（VH），计算机生成的角色表现出类似人类的品质，并使用自然的人类模式，包括面部表情，语音和手势进行交流。虚拟现实的商业应用的巨大增长潜力，是由未来五年国际市场增长预测的两个重要领域的发展实现的：虚拟和增强现实以及人工智能。商业化机会存在于媒体和娱乐;所有部门的培训和模拟;以及在医疗保健、就地养老和教育等领域为人对人提供服务的补充支持。 这个项目的成功将需要一个研究和开发过程，实现密切耦合和考虑计算机图形内容创作的美学，硬件的图形限制，复杂的生产和后期制作工作流程的深入了解和软件开发之间的关系。该项目将使来自数字艺术和计算机科学的谢里丹研究人员团队与行业合作伙伴共同开发有利于公司的解决方案，同时帮助支持安大略媒体和娱乐行业在多平台生产领域的增长和国际竞争力。

Sheridan College will partner with SideFX, a leading computer graphics software company, to help them achieve breakthrough delivery of solutions within the area of digital character modelling and animation. The proposed project will centre on research and development into modelling, texturing, and rigging of photorealistic digital characters in order to enhance believability and audience engagement. The focus will be on digital character modelling and animation within three areas of application: digital cinema movies and television; game engines as part of a film production process; and within consumer-focused virtual and augmented reality experiences. The latter applications will include integration of the digital characters as Virtual Humans (VHs), computer-generated characters that exhibit human-like qualities and communicate using natural human modalities including facial expressions, speech and gesture. The potential for dramatic growth in the commercial application of VHs is being enabled by developments in two significant areas of predicted international market growth over the next five years: virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence. Commercialization opportunities exist within media and entertainment; training and simulation across all sectors; and supplementary support for human-to-human provision of services in areas such as healthcare, aging in place, and education. Success within this project will require a research and development process that achieves close coupling and consideration of the relationship between the aesthetics of computer graphics content creation, graphical limitations of hardware, intimate knowledge of complex production and post-production workflows, and software development. The project will enable a team of Sheridan researchers from the digital arts and computer sciences to work together with an industry partner to develop solutions that benefit the company while having the secondary benefit of helping to support the growth and international competitiveness of Ontario's media and entertainment sectors within areas of multi-platform production.