Automatic animation from Eyematic. (product spotlight).(FaceStation)(Product Announcement)

With the FaceStation suite of software tools from Eyematic, users can automatically capture and apply facial animation data. The product works by assigning 22 virtual markers around the eyes, nose, and mouth of a human face captured in a standard video signal, then monitoring the markers' positions as often as 60 times per second. The data is then sent in real time to a 3D package such as Discreet's 3ds max, where it can be used to animate a real-time 3D preview of a digital character. FaceStation uses no physical face markers and runs on a standard workstation. It does require a user to apply morph targets (no more than 16) to a 3D model before the facial animation data can be applied to it.

"We haven't used FaceStation yet on any of our products, but I am assessing it," says Mike Swanson, manager of technical art for LucasArts Entertainment Company in San ...