Face Trackers for Facial Motion Capture
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All the available face-tracking devices rely on optical or video technology. Real-time trackers for performance animation generally consist of a lightweight video camera that is pointed at the performer's face and moves with the head. The video camera watches the 2 dimensional motion of a set of markers or dots that are attached to the face. Various configurations and marker sets are possible, but the following basic configuration is generally the starting point: Sides and tops of lips, cheeks, eyebrows, and perhaps top and bottom of eyelids. The recorded motion can be used in several ways:

• Intermixing of previously created morph targets (AKA blend shapes), to represent the positions of markers as accurately as possible, or
  
• Move groups of controllers (clusters) that move clumps of vertices in the mesh.
• Movement of bones

Meta Motion offers the Standard Deviation face tracker for performance animation and facial tracking. The Standard Deviation Face tracker represents a breakthrough in comfort and ease-of-use for face tracking. The Standard Deviation face tracker attaches so securely that it can even be worn while doing jumping jacks or other extreme motions. Prices with the FT2000 software start below $10,000. The Standard Deviation face tracker is available in infrared or video (color) versions. The FT2000 software includes a real-time driver for Autodesk MotionBuilder. The AVSoft FT2000 software can drive mesh deformations directly within MotionBuilder.