A new method of computer generation and animation of 3D human characters has been developed at the Max Planck Institute for Computer Science in Saarbrücken, Germany. Instead of designing a virtual skeleton first, then extrapolating the surface deformations caused by movement, direct 3D laser scans of a real person are being used and subsequently animated. The next time you play a computer game, your avatar could be a realistic animation of the “real” you.

A 3D animation technique that could take the hard work out of acting has been developed by German researchers. It allows a high-resolution 3D scan of one person to be pasted on to another person’s movements.

Source: New Scientist