Method to fabricate articulated characters from skinned meshes
Applications
Enables users to generate articulated figures, such as posable toys, based on their own custom design. Takes advantage of two key technology trends: the proliferation of low-cost animation tools such as Maya, 3D Studio Max, Blender or Rhino, as well as the declining cost, increasing functionality and proliferation of 3D printers. Exports data from industry-standard animation tools in the COLLADA data exchange format and generates a data output that can be sent to a conventional 3D printer to fabricate articulated figures.
The essence of the IP encompasses:
a) Transforming a skinned mesh model of a character into a rigid segmented model of the character.
b) Automatically inserting mechanical joints into a CAD model (e.g., the rigid segment character model from (a)) and subsequent optimization of the joints for manufacture, using a process such as 3D printing.
Enables users to generate articulated figures, such as posable toys, based on their own custom design. Takes advantage of two key technology trends: the proliferation of low-cost animation tools such as Maya, 3D Studio Max, Blender or Rhino, as well as the declining cost, increasing functionality and proliferation of 3D printers. Exports data from industry-standard animation tools in the COLLADA data exchange format and generates a data output that can be sent to a conventional 3D printer to fabricate articulated figures.
The essence of the IP encompasses:
a) Transforming a skinned mesh model of a character into a rigid segmented model of the character.
b) Automatically inserting mechanical joints into a CAD model (e.g., the rigid segment character model from (a)) and subsequent optimization of the joints for manufacture, using a process such as 3D printing.
U.S. Patent(s) Issued: WO2014011727A1