Rigged Body Animation in Unity

3D Content Generation for Virtual Reality and Real-Time Animation by Motion Capture

3D Content Creation Workflow Summary

  • Use already existing 3D models from platforms like Sketchfab
  • Use MakeHuman for humanoid character creation.
  • Use Blender for 3D Modeling of virtual sports equipment.
  • Make use of *.fbx file format for 3D data exchange.

The Story Behind

Standard Workflow for 3D Content Generation for Virtual Reality

Idea
The Institute of Sport Science ISPW provides with a Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE) in their sensorimotor laboratory. The aim of this project was to develo, implement and test a standard workflow for the creation of 3D content that can be used in the CAVE.
Goals
  • Workflow for rigged body animation
  • Workflow for creation of virtual sports equipment
  • Library with 3D Content
  • Unity Demo Project with OptiTrack plugin
  • Real-time animation of rigged avatar by motion capture

Workflow for Rigged Body Animation

Using MakeHuman:
  • 3D modeling of a humanoid character
  • Export 3D model and UV mapped textures
In Unity Game Engine:
  • Import 3d model and UV mapped textures of virtual human
  • Install and configure OptiTrack motion capture plugin
  • Create an avatar GameObject using a rigged humanoid model from OptiTrack demo content
  • Assign imported virtual human 3d model and textures to the already rigged avatar GameObject
  • Stream OptiTrack MoCap data to the Unity Game Engine

Workflow for Creation of Virtual Sports Equipment

Using Blender:
  • 3D modeling of sports equipment
  • Export 3D model as *.fbx
In Unity Game Engine:
  • Import 3D model of sports equipment
  • Create a sports equipment GameObject using the 3d model mesh
  • Install OptiTrack motion capture plugin
  • To the sports equipment GameObject assign an OptiTrack MoCap component
  • Stream OptiTrack MoCap data to the Unity Game Engine

Unity Demo Project with OptiTrack Plugin

Real-time Animation of Rigged Avatar by Motion Capture