Rokoko launches facial capture add-on for its mocap systems
Rokoko Electronics has released Rokoko Remote, a facial motion-capture add-on for its Rokoko Studio software, used for recording and exporting full-body mocap data from the firm’s inertial motion-capture suits.
The iOS version of the app, released alongside Rokoko Studio 1.13, enables users to record facial motion data using an iPhone X, and stream the animation to MotionBuilder, Unity or Unreal Engine.
Android and desktop versions of the app are also in development.
Rokoko Remote: record facial motion capture data using an iPhone X
Rokoko Remote enables users to capture facial motion data on a compatible mobile phone – currently, the iPhone X and related models – then export or stream it live to other software.
The iOS version is based on Apple’s ARKit augmented reality technology, and supports the standard 52 ARKit blendshapes, capturing data at 60fps.
The facial animation data is passed to Rokoko Studio, running on a separate workstation, from where it can be exported to DCC software in FBX, BVH or CSV format.
The data can also be streamed live to MotionBuilder, Unity or Unreal Engine via integration plugins.
Facial data can be exported independently of skeletal data, so the software can be used with the SmartSuit Pro, Rokoko’s inertial mocap suit – for which there is now a phone mount – or as a standalone set-up.
New in Rokoko Studio 1.13: link to Rokoko Remote, plus UI and workflow improvements
Rokoko Remote can also be used to start or stop recordings within Rokoko Studio, version 1.13 of which was released alongside the new mobile app.
As well as visualising and exporting mocap data, the software is designed to control recordings made with the SmartSuit Pro, displaying the status of each of the suit’s sensors, and enabling users to activate a range of real-time data-cleaning filters.
Skeletal data can be streamed and exported in the same formats as facial data, with support for the Maya HumanIK, 3ds Max Biped and Adobe Mixamo skeletons as well as Mixamo’s own Newton skeleton.
As well as support for Rokoko Remote, new features in version 1.13 include the option to hide or ghost scene objects to reduce visual clutter in the viewport.
Pricing and system requirements
The Rokoko Remote app is free. It is available for iOS 12+ – Android and desktop versions will follow “soon” – and compatible with Rokoko Studio 1.13+ and iPhone X models with front-facing TrueDepth cameras.
Rokoko Studio 1.13 is available for 64-bit Windows 10 and macOS 10.14.2. The integration plugins are available for MotionBuilder 2015+, Unity 5.5.3+ and Unreal Engine 4.18+.
A free Basic subscription to Rokoko Studio enables you to export data, but doesn’t support the integration plugins or facial capture; paid subscriptions cost from $24/user/month to $119/user/month.
The SmartSuit Pro costs $2,495 and the new phone mount costs $95. Various bundle deals are available.
Rokoko also offers the SmartSuit Pro as a product bundle with Reallusion’s iClone Motion Live software, which comes with its own iPhone X-based facial capture system.
Read more about facial capture using Rokoko Remote and Rokoko Studio on Rokoko’s website
(Includes download link for Rokoko Remote)