Project Synopsis
Mission Future: Arizona 2045 is a 2,500-square-foot interactive exhibition developed by Arizona State University (ASU) in collaboration with Arizona Science Center, NASA, and numerous additional local and national partners. Mission Future integrates authentic Earth and space science, imaginative storytelling, an immersive environment, and hands-on activities to explore what Arizona might be like in the year 2045. Told through the perspective of five diverse characters from the future, the exhibition explores some of the ways climate change will affect life on our home planet, as well as some of the opportunities future humans will have to study, live, and work off Earth. The exhibition opened in February 2023 for long-term display at the Arizona Science Center.
Key Features
This immersive exhibition, housed at the Arizona Science Center, boasts the following features:
- Long-term display within a dedicated section of the Museum, offering visitors an engaging and informative experience.
- Utilization of the Rokoko Smart Suit Pro with Smart gloves and face tracking for lifelike human motion capture.
- Integration of Metahuman Creator to breathe life into AILI, the Artificial Intelligence Learning Investigator.
- Development of the video environments and lighting using Unreal Engine, ensuring a visually stunning and immersive experience.
Technological Landscape
- Rokoko Smart Suit Pro with Smart gloves and face tracking
- Metahuman Creator
- Unreal Engine
Roles and Responsibilities
As the director and executor of motion capture for AILI, my responsibilities included:
- Learning and implementing the Rokoko Smart Suit Pro for accurate motion capture.
- Training and guiding the actress on using the suit, ensuring seamless synchronization with the skeleton.
- Recording and refining motion capture data, and integrating it with Metahuman in Unreal Engine.
- Troubleshooting challenges related to retargeting the skeleton and live-streaming motion capture data.
Shoot Day for MotionCapture
Challenges and Solutions
The project encountered challenges in retargeting the skeleton and streaming motion capture data accurately. Solutions involved:
- Engaging with online forums and seeking assistance from Rokoko's support team for guidance and resources.
- Collaborating with Professor Pilarski to refine and clean up motion capture data, utilizing camera animations and transitions as a way to divert away from the discrepancies in movement animations.
Project Outcomes
The culmination of the project resulted in a seamless cinematic-style video featured as part of the exhibit at the Arizona Science Center. AILI, as a central character, served as a cohesive element, enriching the overall visitor experience and contributing to an engaging and thought-provoking museum exhibit.
