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July 21st, 2011 (Tue)
R&D Section, SoftEther Corporation
(Tsukuba-city, Ibaraki, JAPAN)
An innovative 3D input device which would reform the standard of 3D-CG
and game manipulation.
SoftEther's "QUMA" 3D Motion Capture Technology
Video is Released
SoftEther Corporation, a venture software development company from
Computer Science at University of Tsukuba since 2004, is now developing an
innovative 3D-input device technology. The code-name is "QUMA".
The first product based on QUMA technology has been finished of
design for bulk production. It will be released on the market in the near future.
This product could be the first hardware product developed by SoftEther.
The official web site of QUMA is at http://quma.jp/ available in English.
Development of QUMA was engaged in by SoftEther Corporation (HQ:
Tsukuba, CEO: Daiyuu Nobori),
Celsys, Inc.
(HQ: Tokyo, CEO: Shinya Nozaki) and ViVienne Co., Ltd. (HQ: Tokyo, CEO:
Jun Kuchii) since 2009. We created the prototype of first product
version of QUMA applied and made an video which describes the features
of QUMA as follows.
Manipulate a 3D-CG character by just your fingertips !
Click the Above Video to Play.
Click Here to Play in YouTube.
July 26, 2001:
English Version of QUMA Video is Released.
More High Quality Videos of QUMA can be Downloaded at
Here.
Summary of QUMA Technology and its 3D-Motion Capture Application
This figurine product is a small and portable-sized input
device which can be put on a desk such like as a mouse and a keyboard of
computer. Surprisingly, however, the difference point to mice and keyboards is
that it has a human-like figure so that you can manipulate its arms, legs,
body-parts and an neck as your imagination. There are several angle sensors on each
joints to capture a pose of the figurine. The pose data will be
transmitted via USB cable to the computer in real-time. Thus you can import
the pose data into software, for example, 3D-CG applications or 3D games
instantly and immediately.
In the past, it was necessary to handle a keyboard and a mouse
accurately in order to manipulate body parts of human-like characters in
3D-CG. It was not an easy way for many of non-professional users of 3D
software, because the operation was not intuitive. For that reason, it
could be said that many amateur people tried creating 3D-CG animations
for hobby purpose but they must be frustrated in manipulating of joints
of a human-body in the computer due to difficulty. This supposition can
be guessed from the fact that in Internet there are few 3D-CG animations
and illustrates despite there are many people who create and upload
their own 2D-CG animations and pictures made with Flash and so on.
This product will enable everyone to manipulate human-like
characters in the computer without necessity of any expert training for 3D-CG
software operation. It is the best solution for not only composing 3D illustrates and
animations but also controlling a character in 3D-game software.
Pictures of This Product
This product is now under development and the following pictures
is not the final figure.
Timeline of this Product
Due to a public-relation policy of a company concerned
with QUMA, we can say only that the release schedule of this product
and other products based on QUMA Technology are undecided. They will
be on the market in the near future.
QUMA Technology
This product is based on "QUMA technology". QUMA technology
consists of several mutually connected circuit boards and its firmware,
such as joint-angle sensors and CPUs for multiplexing each signals from
sensors into USB cable. They can be connected mutually.
With QUMA Technology, you can construct any body-form as a
desire by connecting modules mutually with joint boards. Not only a
formations of humans but also many kinds of animals (for example, camels
or snakes).
The development of QUMA technology is participated by
SoftEther, Celsys,
ViVienne and 3D-Geometry
Application Network. There is also a co-operative academic research
project with Department of Engineering, University of Tsukuba. This
product is based on the result from those researches and developments.
QUMA Technology can be applied on not only motion-capture
products but also game controllers in video arcades and homes. It is also
good for using as teaching materials in 3D animation training institutes. We would
like to have good businesses relations all over the world for the purpose
of spreading QUMA Technology for many fields.
Incidentally the etymology of the code-name "QUMA"
was came from a
Japanese-word "KUMA" (熊) which means a bear. A skin of the first
prototype, which was developed by US in 2009, was a teddy bear.
A picture of prototype version of QUMA in 2009.
(Please note that the final product will not be a teddy-bear skinned.)
Specification of QUMA Technology
Following contents are now development and might be
modified in future.
|
Element |
Value |
| Name |
QUMA Technology |
| Shape |
The first product will be human-like shape. But other kinds
of shapes can be able to be consisted with this technology. |
Connection to
the host PC |
USB 2.0
(It can be detected as HID device and no need of device
drivers.) |
| Power |
USB-bus powered. |
| Compatible
Operating Systems |
Windows and Mac OS X (uncertainly). |
| Compatible
Software |
Any software which was developed with "QUMA SDK". |
Official Web Site of QUMA Technology
NEW: July 26, 2001
SoftEther Corporation established the official web site of
QUMA Technology today. Please click the following link. It is available
in English.
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