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AI-based motion capture is a booming trend. At the moment, this technique is less precise than traditional approaches such as mocap suits (XSens, Rokoko) or markers/cameras (Vicon…) but it has a huge advantage: price.
Case in point, Rokoko just announced a new free product. Following the footsteps of companies such as Kinetix and Plask, Rokoko launches their own AI motion capture tool: Rokoko Video.
Rokoko Video is quite simple to use:
- Directly in a web browser, upload a video to Rokoko Video, or film yourself using a webcam or smartphone. Make sure the whole body is visible: if your legs are out of frame, for example, Rokoko Video won’t be able to detect the movement.
- Trim the video if needed, then launch the process. The motion data will be generated automatically.
- You can then edit and improve the data using Rokoko Studio. This tool provides filters such as foot locking. Several plans are available for Rokoko Studio, including a free “starter” plan for indie creators.
- You can the use the motion capture data in an animation/VFX workflow, just like you would with regular mocap data. For example, you can import the data within Maya, Blender, C4D, Unreal, Unity, etc.
Rokoko touts Rokoko Video as “a way to get started in animation” on a budget. They also highlight that traditional motion capture solutions, such as their suits and gloves, “will still be recommended if you need high fidelity or real-time streaming”.
Rokoko also explains that more AI-based tools are to be expected: “Our hardware development has always gone hand in hand with the software side, even if the hardware has been more visible to the public. With the vast quantity of motion data we have access to, we are uniquely positioned to create AI-powered tools for motion capture, editing, and analysis. Our product roadmap has an increasing number of similar AI-infused software tools in the pipeline as we’re building Rokoko Studio into a cloud-based animation powerhouse”.
If you have been following our SIGGRAPH 2022 coverage, this announcement is not surprising. When we interviewed Rokoko CEO Jakob Balslev this summer at Vancouver, he hinted (at the 4 minute mark in the video below) at the fact that Rokoko was working on AI-based motion capture.
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