Applying Topographic Techniques to Modelling the Human Shape in Motion

Since ancient times, the human shape has been represented by means of different techniques of the fine arts. The more accurate three-dimensional (3D) static representations of the human shape have been created in metallic, stone and wax sculptures. However, these "classical" techniques can not provide information about the human movement. In other hand, present virtual reality animation techniques provide 3D images with movement, but the results with human shape are still not so good. Many human movement expressions are nowadays considered as arts (best sport performances, for example) and they should be considered as part of our living heritage; so that, they should be recorded, classified and stored in order to preserve them. Nowadays, video is the most popular mean for recording the human movement. Biomechanics provides also quite complicated techniques to record human movement that are applied, for example, in digital-film productions. We applied laser scanning techniques that have been previously employed on monuments and topographic 3D representations in order to record the human body and motion. Our present work provides an experimental response to the human shape capture, which overcomes some limitations of traditional techniques.