In this article you will learn how to stream real-time motion capture data onto a character inside of Houdini
Requirements
- Houdini 19.5
- Axis Studio
- Axis Neuron/Axis Neuron Pro
Axis Setup
All Perception Neuron hardware, including our legacy hardware, can stream data onto Houdini. Currently Houdini's Mocap Stream node supports UDP communication from Axis applications. Please use the following settings carefully to send data to their Mocap Stream node.
Axis Studio
Skeleton: Axis Legacy
Rotation: YXZ
Displacement: Enabled
Type: Binary
Protocol: UDP
Local Address: 127.0.0.1:7003
Destination Address: 255.255.255.255:7001
Axis Neuron/Axis Neuron Pro
Go to File --> Settings --> Broadcasting
Select UDP
Enable BVH
ClientPort: 7002
Installation
Houdini natively supports Perception Neuron through the MOCAP STREAM node. No additional download is needed
Setup in Houdini
In Houdini we will create geometry node and build the following node graph. This node graph will include our target character and our mocap real-time data.
- Create a Geometry node and open the Geometry node
- Add an FBX Character Import node. Use this node to add your character to the scene
- Add a Mocap Stream node
- Select the Mocap Stream node and apply the settings from Axis Software
- Add a Joint Deform node and connect the Rest Geometry slot to the FBX Character Import node
- Add a Rig Match Pose node and have the FBX Character Import and Mocap Stream node both feed into it
- Display the Rig Match Pose node, click on theViewport and hit enter, Now you can modify the skeleton into a perfect T-pose if needed
- Uncheck: Enable Match Bones
- Add a Map Points node and connect it to the Rig Match Pose
- Turn display on for the Map Points node
- Change the target guide offset to 0.3 in z
- Click on the Viewpoort and click enter
- Connect all the points between the skeletons
- under Align Guide, uncheck translate
- Add a Full Body IK node and connect it to the Map Points node
- Connect the Full Body IK to Bone Deform
- Turn on the display on the Bone Deform node
- In the Mocap Stream node, click Connect and your data should play in real time