We make motion!

Over a decade of research and development has created a patent-pending software platform for the automated generation of physics-based motion and telemetry for articulated assemblies.

    The platform and methodologies developed by Xarkin have broad application.
  • 3D character animation for video
  • Real-time motion generation of 3D characters for gaming and virtual spaces
  • Generated motion and telemetry for robotic control and simulation
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image of animator creating 3D character animation

Physics-based motion for your 3D characters.

Xarkin Animation for Blender (a4b) is a Blender add-on which connects with Xarkin Cloud Animation Services to generate pose data for rigged humanoid characters.

Xarkin can re-target and extend your existing motion capture and keyframe assets.

For games and virtual spaces; Xarkin can generate programmicatically controlled motion in real-time either through local software or software at the edge.

Physically accurate pose data for your 3D characters.

Quadruped 'Quad Toe' Model is Complete!

Xarkin Software has completed work on a Quad Toe motion model for generating 3D character motion for quadrupeds such as felines and canines. This video shows a motion sequence that was created through parameterized input and a Xarkin Motion Model.

The rigged and meshed character appearing in the video was purchased on Turbosquid. However, that just provides a pose. All of the motion was generated through Xarkin software with no mocap or keyframe work involved.

The physics underlying Xarkin software provides for re-targeting. The same motion sequence shown here could easily be applied to a house cat or a lion character. However, the actual pose data Xarkin would generate would differ based upon the segment and mass profiles of those characters. Xarkin software can be used to develop motion sequences such as the one shown here.

Xarkin Software and Services

We invite you to reach out to us to discuss how our innovative technology can meet your specific needs. Whether you are interested in 3D character motion generation for animation, real-time motion generation, retargeting motion assets to new characters, or robotics motion and telemetry, our team is ready to assist you.

Additionally, if you have specific project requirements, we are eager to collaborate and provide tailored solutions. Contact us today to explore the possibilities and take your projects to the next level.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Motion generation is the creation of pose data for 3D character animation through parameterized motion requests to a Xarkin motion model. These requests can occur in real-time through programmatic control or through animators using Xarkin's Animation for Blender (a4b) add-on. 3D character animation has typically been created through the use of motion capture and/or keyframe work. Xarkin's motion models act as a universal foundation agent for an entire class of characters such as humanoid. Using Xarkin, animators can combine parameterized motion elements such as poses, gaits, transitions and gestures into expressive motion sequences to bring 3D animation to their characters.

Yes, using Xarkin's a4b add-on you can capture mocap and keyframe assets. Once captured, Xarkin will store these as motion elements in a universal format such it can be retargeted to other characters that have the same topology.

A motion element is a unit of universal motion data stored by Xarkin for fulfilling motion requests. A motion element could be a pose, a walk, a run, etc., but it can also be a sequence of motions such as a transition from a pose to a high speed run. It can also be a gesture such as waving an arm or nodding a head.

Using Xarkin's a4b add-on, you can edit the standard motion elements that Xarkin provides. For example, if you wanted to change our walk, you could change things such as the stride length or the time taken for one walk cycle. You could also sway the hips, change the foot separation, change the arm swing, and many other things. Once you have the motion element you are after, it can be saved as your own personal universal motion element such that you can reuse this with other characters and also share this with others.

Xarkin's software platform has been designed so that it can run in the cloud, on the edge or as local software. Xarkin Cloud Animation Services (XCAS) are used by Xarkin's a4b Blender add-on. The add-on provides simple forms for creating parameterized motion requests which are sent to XCAS. XCAS will return pose data back to the animator such that it can be applied to their character. Xarkin can also host other XCAS instances for other Xarkin uses. For example, motion requests can be created programmatically for real-time motion applications.

In 3D animation, retargeting is key to making the most of your motion assets. However, in practice, animators will often spend a great deal of time correcting the retargeted motion in order to try to make it look 'natural'. This is because the stored motion is highly specific to the original character. Upon retargeting motion to another character, surface contact corrections are often needed as feet disappear into the floor or float above it and the shorter or taller character's motion is too slow, too fast or whatever.

A universal language and description stores the motion in a format that can, well, be universally applied with no tweaking needed. If, for example, you originally had a walk for a tall thin character and now want to to use that walk on a far shorter character, the universal format would be applied with the adjustments for the length of the character and all the segments composing that character. The application would also account for the mass profile of the target character. Xarkin software and simulation would generate the required pose data and the required number of frames. The shorter character requires fewer frames for a stride than a taller character. By mapping the target character to a Xarkin motion model, Xarkin handles the retargeting automatically. No need for tweaking!

This also has application in robotics. Xarkin's physics engine also provides telemetry. Suppose changes in mass, center of mass and length occur for a critical part/segment. Xarkin could retarget an existing motion element or sequence to the revised mass profile in order to generate the torque and force data needed.

In addition to the Humanoid Topology, Xarkin can provide access to additional topologies such as various quadrupeds (QuadToe, QuadTipToe, QuadHeelToe) and DinoBird. Xarkin can also design support for custom topologies.

Xarkin works with companies and their animators to provide armatures and simulators that represent their target class of characters. Next, the required parameterized motion elements will be implemented. The armature, simulator and motion elements act as a Universal Foundation Agent with the motion elements acting as a motion language for the class of characters.