Motion capture has long been a method for computer animators to realistically portray action in a game or movie. Movies like the Lord of the Rings and The Polar Express have used the technique to try and bring life to their animated characters. At the same time, one of the challenges of computer animation has been avoiding the “uncanny valley.” The phenomenon posited by Masahori Mori defines the feelings of revulsion that occur when artificial entities approach, but don’t precisely mirror real life. Gamers who have seen the Heavy Rain trailer can attest to this problem in the gaming world.

Dean Takahashi of the Mercury News talked with Steve Perlman about a new technology that might help reduce the uncanny valley from games and movies. The company, Mova, is pursuing a new technology they call Contour, that allows for better resolution capture of facial animation. According to Perlman, the technology promises to be faster and more accurate, requiring less touch-up work. The company hopes to have a finished product available by this fall. The article also links to an example of the results of a motion capture session; the resolution does seem good, but it is hard to judge the effectiveness of the technology without an in-game context.