Blade 2.6 Summary

Blade 2.6 Calibrating Actors

Deborah R. Fowler


click here for Blade 2.6 User's Guide

previous step or cleaning up

see corresponding video

Posted on Dec 5  2013 
Updated Jan 22  2014

Blade 2.6 Capturing and Processing Takes

Once your actor has been calibrated, now you can do take after take.

Capture

Assuming the character has been calibrated:
  • Connect the cameras (double click on the plug icon)
  • Rename the take (type in a label where the previous label is red - this is normal. This mean that the data has been recorded and it is expecting you to rename it before capturing your next take. (Note that notes are broken in 2.6 but will be repaired in 2.6).
  • Capture

Process (this assumes that the character has been calibrated - see processing ROM)

Quick post is a new feature that processes frame by frame rather than as one unit, use judiciously - it does not work in all cases. It solves the data using the realtime engine.

Post processing (lots of settings - occlusion fix is not recommended at this time).

Post processing refers to working with offline data. Once camera data is captured, it can be processed to provide 3D reconstructions, character labels and skeletal animation. In post, it is also possible to clean 3D data, fill gaps, and smooth out jittery motion.

Label completeness entrance threshold .85 default is good (never go less than .50)

The x2d file is the raw camera data. This file is saved automatically when the capture is stopped. Postprocessing is a set of steps to enable the data to be used by applications such as motion builder.

Processing a Capture
In the Data Management window double click the blue circle iconto open the x2d data and disconnect the cameras.
Now on the Post Processing tab:
  • Reconstruct
  • Label
  • Solve Motion
  • [Export hdf]

If your data needs cleaning (see cleaning up)

Export the result to fbx (c3d is used rarely). When exporting the fbx be sure to check the option unroll rotation curves

Additional features:

Under Editors
HSL scripting (vicon's own scripting language) - useful for batch processing

SUMMARY of Capture and Processing a Take
In Summary:
  • Capture Data (including having done ROM and Actor Calibration)
  • Open Raw Data (double click on the blue icon)
  • Reconstruct
  • Auto Label
  • Solve Motion
  • Export hdf and fbx (or bvh)
  • Post Process ( filling gaps, swapping markers, etc. )

Now your data is ready to take into a 3-D package after finessing in Motion Builder - please see separate documentation for this process under Motion Builder.