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May 31, 2007

Fix8 Brings Computer Generated Animation To The Webcam

Duncan Riley

24 comments »

fix8.pngSherman Oaks company fix8 brings the world of computer generated animation to the webcam with software being pitched as “User-Generated Reality”.

fix8 combines video, animation and instant messaging that allows users to create their own partial or full custom avatars that mimic human movement.

At the heart of fix8 is H.E.A.R.T. (Human Expression Analysis and Rendering Technology), which digitizes human expressions, gestures, and movements via webcam, enabling users to create, interact, and share their creations across the web, TV, and soon mobile phones.

fix8 is easy to use and offers limitless creative options. fix8 users can broadcast their video creations over instant messaging services including MSN, Yahoo and Skype or save and post creations to YouTube, MySpace and FaceBook.

It would be easy to trivialize fix8, yet this sort of technology would have cost millions to implement 10, 15 or even 20 years ago. The ability to turn cheap webcams into a hub of animation creation can and will spur a whole new wave of user generated creativity and content. fix8 is a little application with a wow factor to it, I’d even go as far as calling it pretty cool, even if I couldn’t get my webcam to play with Vista so I could trial it.

For a full demonstration view the video on the fix8 index page. A sample is provided below.

  • Sphere It

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 31st, 2007 at 7:40 pm and is filed under Company & Product Profiles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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  1. Webia

    June 1st, 2007 at 1:21 am

  2. Thomas - Technical Blogger

    June 1st, 2007 at 2:21 pm

  3. Sara Jameson » fix8 changes your webcam face to anything you want

    June 21st, 2007 at 6:19 am

Comments

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  1. Josh

    May 31st, 2007 at 7:46 pm

    The sample is a little scary.

  2. dumbfounder

    May 31st, 2007 at 8:43 pm

    very cool technology… but… why?

  3. John Nahm

    May 31st, 2007 at 8:46 pm

    This is an awesome concept. My kids love it… My parents think I’ve turned back to a teenager.

    Keep the avatars coming~ when are spidey and batman going to be available?

  4. Duncan Riley

    May 31st, 2007 at 8:52 pm

    dumbfounder
    think of it in terms of scripted animation as well, it makes video blogging that bit different again :-)

  5. Simon Wittber

    May 31st, 2007 at 10:44 pm

    Bah, Old news. Logitech have been doing this since late 2005.
    http://assets.logitech.com/log.....;node=1462

  6. Steve Triber

    May 31st, 2007 at 10:49 pm

    Ummm… not quite. This is much more robust, has many more features and expressions and can be used on ANY webcam!!!

  7. Fareed

    May 31st, 2007 at 10:53 pm

    Motion capture brought to the webcam. That’s pretty cool, even though the animation quality is pretty lacking (but then again, so is feature film “performance capture” too). Given that this runs directly off a webcam, it’s pretty impressive, though it’s not going to replace hand-keyframed animation for anything real for a while.

  8. Ernest

    May 31st, 2007 at 11:02 pm

    Borrriinngg… this software came with my Logitech QuickCam® Sphere™ MP and I guarantee you from what I’ve seen of the above software and my Logitech “Personality” accessories this Fix8 is just a rip of it.

    See here if you want to read more about Logitech’s:
    http://www.logitech.com/index......camera=245

    This Fix8 is probably trying to ride the Web2.0 wave by bringing something to the masses that was only available to Logitech WebCam customers before.

  9. Thomas

    June 1st, 2007 at 12:20 am

    I think this is pretty creative. It may have been done before, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be improved on.

    This adds a bit of fun to using a webcam. I can definitely see this as a solid step towards scripted animation.

  10. Neil

    June 1st, 2007 at 12:36 am

    this has got MASSIVE appeal in Asia, where people don’t want to show their face - you guys ever checked out Mixi or Cyworld????

  11. Julian

    June 1st, 2007 at 12:43 am

    Grrr8 for d8ing ;-) haha. don need to show your face anymore… yeah i tried fix8 software. actually way much better than logitech.. has avatar creator so you can create your own face (or someone elses)

  12. James Corbett

    June 1st, 2007 at 1:24 am

    I can see Linden Labs snapping up technology like this for Second Life. Audio is already on the way so imagine being able to animate your SL avatar as above to ‘mime’ your audio. The illusion would be complete!

  13. Kihong

    June 1st, 2007 at 8:16 am

    Gr8 stuff! I’ve tried it with MSN Live Messenger and my friends love it!! I would like to see more cartoon characters..(HULK!!)

  14. kenny k.

    June 1st, 2007 at 9:37 am

    WOW, that’s amazing. WHAT’S the POINT ?

  15. the logo homepage

    June 1st, 2007 at 10:02 am

    hmmm, have you listened to the music yet?

    how come it’s in chinese

    is Fix8.com based in china?

  16. link

    June 1st, 2007 at 10:39 am

    maybe maybe you are true but the service seems good.

  17. extensions forklift

    June 1st, 2007 at 10:54 am

    yeah most def. Logitech / eyecam -

    - copy -

    Weak sauce / once again

  18. Alfonso

    June 1st, 2007 at 12:42 pm

    Hey, maybe Logitech copied Fix8! I know that Logitech did not write the software themselves… hmmm… I think it was a company out of SF that did it… but from the looks of their site, fix8 is based in LA and has offices in China! hmmm…
    Maybe they had a time limited exclusivity. Also, i don’t have a logitech camera but I can use the software. for free. haha logitech, you’re dead!

  19. Francis Burdett

    June 1st, 2007 at 1:48 pm

    Well I _think_ that as a fully paid up homosexual that I am can appropriately say that the representation vid….

    … is so _totally_ teh ghey

  20. Michael Jacobs

    June 6th, 2007 at 12:47 pm

    Hello, this software is actually quite different from Logitech. First of all I have a logitech premium camera with their software loaded, but I never found the necessity to use their visual effects anywhere. Fix8 has a wide variety of accessories, avatars and smileys which can be used… You can download more packs (some you have to purchase) as well. I hope that these guys do some deals with some big content companies so I can be Han Solo or Chewbacca soon! I tried the facemaking feature as well, which allows you to make your own 3D avatar from a picture. Lot of fun. Needs some work though in terms of improving it. I am looking forward to upcoming versions of this software….

  21. john

    June 26th, 2007 at 10:28 pm

    awsome

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