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Let Your 3D Image Star in Your Favourite Film, Video, Pop Promo or Computer Game

August 24, 1999

The new 3D model can be imported into computer generated scenes using standard 3D modelling packages for the PC/Mac. The new technology captures a 3D model of a person from a set of colour images. Compared with available 3D laser-scanning based technologies the new approach is relatively low-cost and captures models with a high-quality appearance. A major break through is the ability to automatically generate 3D models which move.

The new 3D imaging technique will also have radical implications for the way in which people interact and communicate on the Internet as it allows a person to be represented by a realistic model of themselves in emails, websites or internet chat rooms.

As Dr Hilton explains, "At present, you can pretend to be anyone of either sex on the internet. But by using the new technique to help build realistic computer models, known as avatars, you should be able to give other users a clearer impression of who they are dealing with."

Four digital photos are taken of the person's front, back and sides - full length, clothing and all. The avatar is generated by mapping the four images onto four 2D templates of a human outline. The templates, which come from a generic 3D human model, are stretched or squeezed by the program to fit the shape of the person and then recombined into a 3D "wire-mesh" model with movable joints. Realistic appearance is achieved by comparing the colour of each photo at every point on the model and filling in the relevant section on the avatar. Animation software can then be harnessed to make the model move.

Surrey, University of

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