StretchSense has today released an update to Hand Engine that provides a host of new features for animators and studios, as well as performance enhancements.
StretchSense CTO Todd Gisby comments: “We’re really determined to push the limits on what Hand Engine and our gloves can do. This update is a reflection of that drive and we’re excited to get this out to our users”.
Save as FBX
Easily export your hand mocap data to any software application that imports an FBX file, including Unreal Engine, Unity, Maya, Blender, Houdini, MotionBuilder and more…
The ability to export to FBX is our most requested feature – if you have been waiting for it, login to your account to download the latest version of Hand Engine now.
Express calibration (preview)
Imagine your performers completing industry-leading hand motion capture calibration in seconds — it is now possible.
Our software development team has developed a database of hand data to “give the glove a soul”. As we add more hand data to the database the accuracy of calibrations will get better and better.
Even though it’s still in beta, early feedback from users suggests that Express calibration is a hotly anticipated feature, which is why we’ve included it as a preview in Hand Engine 1.1.0.
Vicon timecode integration
Hand Engine 1.1.0 can now listen directly to Vicon timecode, making it easier than ever to sync our hand mocap solution to body data captured with a Vicon system.
Optimized: 80% reduction in CPU load
New features are great but one of the basics that should always be in focus is the continuous improvement of the core system.
The new release has been optimized to reduce CPU load on your machine, meaning you can allocate more resources to all those CPU-hungry 3D applications.
More ways to get live data into Hand Engine
The latest release of Hand Engine (1.1.0) includes a new network input stream, which means you can now stream data from the glove into Hand Engine across your network. This allows you to capture data from the glove in one location, and process it in another.
“Fix it in Pre”
Previously art directors and animators had to take what they got when it came to motion capture data. Our hand mocap solution changed that by using machine learning to detect when a performer’s hand got into proximity of a preset pose – allowing perfect poses to be captured during a live performance.
A major change included in the latest release of Hand Engine (1.1.0) is something we call “Hybrid Mode”. Capture smooth continuous hand motion then hit reliable, stable poses in sync with your performer when you need it.
Add new poses or refine existing poses as you go to bring art direction in at the very start of your project rather than waiting to “do it in post”.
