#3DSr2 in the news again!
11 messages in this thread
Here's an amazing story. I got a phone call 5 minutes ago from one of our
customers in Los Angeles. He was watching the Rodney King trial on KTTV in
LA (channel 11) and noticed that they were discussing how the forensic
computer animation of the beating was going to be sworn in as evidence.
All of a sudden, the expert who was testifying started discussing how they
did the original work in Autodesk 3D Studio Release 1, but now that they
had just gotten 3D Studio Release 2, they would be able to render much
faster.
The discussion between the judge and the expert (Dr. Carley Ward) then got
into very technical details about how Autodesk 3D Studio was used to
re-enact the precise placement of the body blows dealt by the policemen who
were on trial. The name "Autodesk 3D Studio" was mentioned MANY TIMES.
Apparently, this discussion of 3D Studio continued LIVE for over 15
minutes. A fair amount of it was about how the new release was going to
allow them to get more done, faster.
I had heard that our software was being used to do the forensic work on the
Rodney King trial, but I wasn't SURE until now. Whoa. This is WAY bigger
than the Mitchell Bros. trial.
As an aside, I heard that 3D Studio is ALSO being used by one of our
customers under contract to the FAA to re-enact the tragic US Air crash two
weeks ago at LaGuardia airport.
– G
Here's an update on the 3DS re-enactment of the USAIR crash at LaGuardia.
I just heard a rumour that the 3DS animation might be shown on:
ABC Primetime Live
Thursday, April 9th
This is unconfirmed, but you might want to set your VCR's to record it and
check.
I heard that the animation was done by Jack Sukiji of Eyewittness Animation
in Florida. (don't know specifics on address or phone number)
– G
PS: If this is true, it makes it the second time that a 3D Studio
animation has been shown on Primetime Live in 6 weeks. (the first being
Alec's "Mitchell Bros" animation at the end of February)
Gary,
It's 4:30 PM and they are STILL talking about it LIVE on KTTV ch 11
! The prosecuter is grilling the animation expert witness with regard to
its validity, and accuracy. She is citing Alecs work in the other case as
proof the stuff can be used in the courtroom. She is also citing rave
reviews in all the Journals, and the CEO of the YOST Group. You guys are
getting IMMENSE exposure here, this cannot be measured in dollars,
unbelievable ! It's 4:44 and I just rolled tape (VHS no S-VHS lying around)
on this for you, let me know if no one else has this for you and I'll send
it up !
Bruce
SHEESH!
How much of this stuff do you have on tape?
I'll call you.
– G
Gary and Bruce… If you've got this on tape, I'd like to cover it for a
possible ByteWeek piece. I'll check with my editor in NYC tommorrow morning
and see if there's a possible story in the works here. I'd love to see any
footage that you folks are taping off air. If you can leave a voice contact
number (or numbers) I'll call you tommorrow on the followup. The Rodney
King story is very newsworthy (and since 3DS is playing such an important
role in the proceedings) I think we may have a place for this in the
weekly. – Greg
(Ooops… I meant if you could leave your contact numbers in private
mail… I'll check back in here Tuesday morn…) – gl
Looks like I missed an opportunity there, Gary. Oh well, that's what
happens when your the quiet type. Course, I would have had to rework my
version of the beating to be forensically accurate, but it just goes to
show that no thought is original – someone else is probably doing or
thinking the same thing at the same time in some hemisphere.
Being forensically accurate is not easy. I had a discussion with the
animator who did the RKing thing yesterday. He works for Biodynamics
Engineering Corp. — these folks are SERIOUS. They digitize frames from
the videotape and build geometry over the video to match perfectly. Then,
the somehow determine a second camera angle and start triangulating points
to create an accurate 3D model. It's extremely technical stuff, and I'm
looking forward to learning more about how it's done.
– G
Gary,
Is that Parris Ward @ Biodynamics in Pacific Palisades (West L.A.,
approximately)? He just picked up their upgrade copy of 3DS R2 a couple of
days ago. Another CSA customer comes through.
Kevin Krell – Computer Support Associates
It sure is one-and-the-same Parris Ward. That is a very interesting firm!
– G
Somehow working with lawyers doesn't "appeal" to me, anyway! (pun intended)
GROAN.