Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Daniel James Reetz

Lanny Starkes Smoot

Quinn Smithwick

Michael John Ilardi

Michael Paul Goslin

Wojciech Matusik

Joseph L Olson

Markus Gross

Philip John Jackson

Jon Hayes Snoddy

Paul A Beardsley

Simon Heinzle

Nicola V Ranieri

Alexander W Hsing

Anselm Grundhoefer

A method of fabricating a skin system or its elements using a laser cutter. The laser cutter is controlled to perform multiple passes to selectively cut away layers of material on a surface of a sheet of cellular foam materials. Each layer of material to be removed is defined by a cut or texture pattern. The laser cutter is operated to cut deeper with each layer of material removed by setting a different resolution for the laser cutter for each layer. For example, a laser cutter may be selectively controlled to operate within a resolution range, and each layer defined by the same or different cut pattern is cut using a different resolution. The method includes associating lower resolution settings for the first or outer layers to remove a first depth of material from the skin sheet's surface and associating higher and higher resolution settings for additional layers.

Fabricating lightweight skin systems for large scale robotic characters

Embodiments described herein include an arm band that captures sensor data used to identify hand gestures. When worn on the arm, the arm band permits a computing device to identify different gestures made by the hand. In one embodiment, the band measures a change in position of the tendons that control the positions of the fingers on the hand which can then be correlated to a particular hand gesture. For example, the thickness of the user's arm increases in a direction perpendicular to the palm of the hand when the fingers are extended relative to the thickness of the arm when the fingers are curled into the palm of the hand. By detecting this change in thickness, the computing device can distinguish between different gestures.

Identifying hand gestures based on muscle movement in the arm

A three-dimensional coordinate position of a calibration device is determined. Further, a code is emitted to an image capture device. The code indicates the three-dimensional coordinate position of the calibration device. In addition, an image of light emitted from the calibration device is captured. The light includes the code. An image capture device three-dimensional coordinate position of the calibration device is calibrated according to the real world three-dimensional coordinate position of the calibration device indicated by the code.

Image capture device calibration

A method for providing a three dimensional (3D) drawing experience. The method includes capturing a 3D image of a participant and then processing this image to key the participant's image from a background. The keyed participant's image is mixed with a 3D background image such as frames or scenes from a 3D movie, and the mixed 3D image is projected on a projection screen. For example, left and right eye images may be projected from a pair of projectors with polarization films over the lenses, and the projection screen may be a polarization-maintaining surface such as a silver screen. The user moves a drawing instrument in space in front of the projection screen, and spatial tracking performed to generate a locus of 3D positions. These 3D positions are used to create a 3D drawing image that is projected with the 3D background and participant images in real time.

System and method for providing a three dimensional (3D) immersive artistic experience and interactive drawing environment

An apparatus or three dimensional (3D) printer is provided for generating a 3D object. The apparatus includes a print chamber and a liquid print matrix such as a photo-curing resin positioned in the print chamber. The apparatus includes an optical assembly focusing light into the print chamber in the form of a real image whose light initiates curing processes for a volume of the liquid print matrix to form the 3D object. The light focused into the print chamber has a wavelength within a wavelength curing range for the photo-curing resin. The real image may be formed using an optical assembly reflecting or redirecting and focusing light reflected from outer surfaces of an existing 3D object. The real image may also be provided in the form of a volumetric image displayed by a volumetric display device displaying planes of a 3D digital model or image of a 3D object.

Three dimensional (3D) printer with near instantaneous object printing using a photo-curing liquid

A special effects (FX) system for generating a penumbra or glow effect about an object. Briefly, the FX system includes at least one sheet of retroreflective material and a penumbra activator. The penumbra activator is designed to selectively direct light toward a reflective surface of the retroreflective material. For example, the penumbra activator may include an elongated core element extending from a hilt. The body of the core element may include strings or sets of direction light sources, which may be spaced apart along the length of external surfaces of the core element body. A controller is used to operate the light sources such as by sequentially illuminating the lights sources from an end near the base/hilt to an end near a tip/distal end of the core element body, with earlier lit sources remaining on in some cases to cause a light sword blade to grow out of the hilt.

Special effects system using retroreflections to create an illusion of glowing toys and props

An autostereoscopic apparatus for providing a 3D image to a viewer at a range of vertical eye locations. The apparatus includes a projection screen with a light receiving surface that is horizontally retroreflective and vertically diffusive. The apparatus includes a projector assembly including at least two projectors arranged side-by-side such that projection lenses of the projectors are horizontally aligned in a row. The apparatus includes a controller selectively operating the projectors to project at least two differing point-of-view images. The projection screen may take a number of useful embodiments to implement the autostereoscopic apparatus. For example, the projection screen may include a bottom layer including a retroreflective film that is retroreflective at least in the horizontal direction such as a brightness enhancement film and a top layer formed of a transparent sheet of lenticular material arranged for vertical diffusing.

Autostereoscopic display system with one dimensional (1D) retroreflective screen

A multi-planar plenoptic display assembly with multiple spatially-varying light emitting and modulating planes. The display assembly includes at least one light emitting device and may include a modulating device used in conjunction according to display methods taught herein to display light field data. A display assembly controller may be used to render a light field with depth into a multi-planar plenoptic display assembly by assigning decomposed portions of the light field to the display assembly for display or presentation by differing ones of the emitting elements and by operating a modulating device to provide a parallax barrier. In one embodiment, a projector is used with bi-state screens. In another embodiment, two automultiscopic displays (either parallax barrier or lenticular lenses) are overlaid with a beam splitter. In a further embodiment, an oscillating mirror is used to temporally and optically move one automultiscopic layer (either parallax barrier or lenses) through space.

Multi-layer plenoptic displays that combine multiple emissive and light modulating planes

3D drawing system for providing a real time, personalized, and immersive artistic experience

An apparatus for generating volumetric images viewable without 3D eyewear. The apparatus includes an image display assembly displaying a first image at a first display time and a second image at a second display time (e.g., a number of planar or 2D images on a display screen/surface). The apparatus includes a flexible two-way mirror element (a varifocal beamsplitter). During operations, the first and second images from the display assembly are directed toward and then reflected from the back side of the mirror element. The apparatus also includes a hoop-shaped frame supporting a peripheral edge of the mirror element. A driver shakes the frame to resonate the mirror element between convex and concave shapes while it is used for reflecting the first and second images. The apparatus also includes a concave mirror positioned relative to the mirror element to receive the reflected first and second images.

Volumetric display with rim-driven, varifocal beamsplitter and high-speed, addressable backlight

An apparatus for displaying virtual objects within a physical set or scene. The apparatus includes a set assembly including at least one physical object, e.g., a background prop. A virtual object display assembly is provided with: a display element with a screen operable to display an image of an object; a beam splitter positioned at an angle between the screen and the set assembly; and a mask display element positioned within the set assembly at an image plane associated with the displayed image. The mask display element operates, when the display element operates to display the displayed image, to display a mask corresponding to the displayed image. The beam splitter is transmissive and reflective of light. The mask display element is positioned between the beam splitter and the physical object, and the displayed mask occludes a portion of the physical object and casts a shadow within the set assembly.

Advanced Pepper's ghost projection system with a multiview and multiplanar display

A multi-view mask apparatus for creating a three-dimensional (3D) display. The apparatus includes a relay lens assembly that is non-inverting of images passed through the relay lens assembly including images of background objects. The apparatus includes a mask display device concurrently displaying first and second mask content via the relay lens assembly. The first mask content is viewable from a first point of view (POV) and the second mask content is viewable from a second POV or the first mask content is apparent from a first light source direction and the second mask content is apparent from a second light source direction. The relay lens assembly includes four lenticular sheets arranged into first and second pairs with adjacent back sides. The mask display device is disposed in one pair between two lenticular sheets and operated to display the first and second mask content as interlaced images under the lenticules.

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Daniel James Reetz