Vertex-Based Facial Animation Transfer System for Models with Different Topology; A Tool for Maya

Abstract

The transfer of realistic facial animations between two 3D models is limited or too cumbersome for general use. In this paper, we target the transfer of facial expression animation and facial animation sequences within the 3D software modelling tool Autodesk Maya to eliminate some of the issues that animators come across while creating animations, along with making their process much faster and efficient. While current animation transferring processes in Maya work well, the downfall of these methods is that they only work properly if the source and target models have the same vertex count, vertex order, and topology. We propose a system that eliminates these issues in order to achieve smooth and realistic animations while maintaining a 3D model- agnostic focus; the system features facial animation transfer between different models. The system is purely vertex-based; this helps to speed up the process since no rigging is necessary.