Geppetto Real-Time 3D Performance Animation for Live Production Show & Content Authoring Applications

QuantumWorks founder led first company, SimGraphics Engineering, to become leading pioneer in developing & selling the first real-time Performance Digital Animation systems for trade show, game authoring & TV applications - company achieved many recognized "firsts" for the creation & growth of a new real-time performance animation industry.  VActor took top prize at the first annual NewMedia INVISIONS 1993 Multimedia Awards Competition.

For example, the company was first in the industry to:

￮    Develop & Sell commercial real-time face & body real-time performance systems to make video game characters come alive.  Nintendo purchased the first two real-time performance animation systems which were used for years at trade shows & corporate events for live performances of Nintendo’s game characters and products, Mario, Wario, etc.; 

￮     Create real-time authored characters to appear in mass distributed CD-ROM games, i.e. for Interplay’s “Mario Teaches Typing” – substantial authoring cost savings were experienced by publisher/developer using this technology

￮      First cable TV production to feature a real-time digital character for the ‘What’s Up’, a teen variety show in development for the Disney Channel;

￮      First TV program with a live real-time character, “Ratz”, as co-host for BBC’s “Live & Kicking” & Children’s BBC programs.  “Ratz” became so popular that the BBC gave him his own program: “RatRun”, a live, call-in virtual reality-based game show, currently on-the-air live, six days a week;

￮      First real-time cartoon comedian at a major public event, “Eggwardo”, performed with voice by Charles Fleischer, the voice of Roger Rabbit, at the 1992 COMDEX Grand Scientific Musical Theater organized by 7th Levels’ George Grayson, & music industry veterans, Bob Erzin & Scott Page;

￮      “Eggwardo” became the first real-time digital character to be used to perform teaching & rehabilitation feasibility tests for children & adults in the medical field at Loma Linda Hospital & Medical University.

￮      First real-time full body animated character in partnership with Mr. Film, called "Silver Suzy", allowing anyone at 1991 SIGGRAPH in Las Vegas at "Tommorrow's Realities Gallery" to animate Suzy by using a couple of simple 3D input devices.  From  Ascension Paper linked above "The first application of sensors and real-time sensor feedback to computer animation occurred in 1990. Mr. Film Studios debuted the character Silver Suzy, a project conceived by Steve E. Tice and Chris Walker, with the first commercial real-time face and body tracking performance animation conceived, designed and developed by Tice and Mike Fusco, founders of SimGraphics Engineering Corporation. Silver Suzy was animated in real time with just two sensors, one controlling the 3D model and one controlling the virtual camera. It was an auspicious beginning."

Geppetto Standout Features Include:

• Standalone live performance animation system.
  
• Custom modules for use on Kaydara Filmbox system.
  
• Web-based Animation, Network and Game Development Applications
  
• Integration into Real-Time Applications
  
  • i.e. Kaydara Filmbox Integration
    
• Modules for integration with Motion Capture, Facial Capture
  
• Custom Eye Tracking Module
  
• Integrated Gesture Recognition System
  
• Support for multi-level muscle based and skeletal deformation techniques.
  
• Output video, or stream of 3D meshes to record session
  
• Pricing to fit your needs.
  

Gesture Recognition	Eye Tracking
Muscle Based Deformation	Support for Low Poly Models

QWC Geppetto system used by:

• W.C. Fields for Virtual Celebrity Productions (now Global Icons) (http://www.wcfields.com)
  
• Interplay game work
  
• Katrix game work
  
• Other game work still under Non-Disclosure agreements
  
• CHOPS & Associates Live Performance Trade-show and Corporate Event Systems

   

For Further Information:

Contact QWC for Geppetto General Information
or regarding purchasing Geppetto, contact Geppetto E-mail