Software for Creating Virtual Humanoids
TRANSOM JACK - If you are serious about doing
human simulation, you are using JACK.
Automatic model creation from anthropometric data, ergonomic accessment
of environments and products, strength/fatigue determination, etc.... The
creation of the Anthropometric
Models of Children would have been a near impossible task if JACK didn't
exist (ok, not impossible, but MUCH more difficult).
World renowned, JACK was originally developed at the University
of Pennsylvania by Dr. Norman
Badler, the father of graphical human simulation.
CHARACTER STUDIO - If all you are interested
in getting human animations which "look correct", Character
Studio will do you just fine. However, always remember that it allows
the creation of believable motion, not necessarily accurate motion which
a human body of that size and shape would exhibit...
I will fill in more as I get the time... Can't wait, well here are some
of the web pages, but don't necessarily trust what they tell you.
- Improv, Ken Perlin - http://www.mrl.nyu.edu/improv/
- N-World - http://www.nichimen.com/PRODUCT-INFO/nworld/nworld-product-info.html
- (mainly for making 3D games, but has a skeletal animation
system as well)...
- HumanCAD's ManneQuinPRO - http://www.humancad.com/
- (this is a JACK "wanna-be"software application,
when I get a chance I will detail its limitations)
- Fractal Design's Poser 2 - http://www.fractal.com/products/poser/
- (haven't used it yet, from what I hear it is a cheaper
version of Character Studio)
- COMBIMAN - http://cseriac.udri.udayton.edu/products/combiman.htm
- (haven't used it, looks to be a weak JACK "wanna-be"
like ManneQuin, correct me if I am making assumptions)
- Deneb ERGO - http://www.deneb.com/products/ergo/ergo.html
- (weak entry into the human simulation area... wouldn't
be surprised to see this disappear and hear that Deneb has decided to "plug
in" another company's human simulator to there other products)
- Avatar Maker - http://sven-tech.com/products/avatarmaker/
- (haven't tried it, looks simplistic, but might be useful)
- Visible Human's Project - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/research/visible/visible_human.html
- (Not a software app., but may be useful to you)
- CAESAR Study - http://www.sae.org/TECHCMTE/caelaser.htm
- (Not a software app., but may be useful to you)
<beitler@asel.udel.edu>