Autodesk has completed the acquisition of RADiCAL's core technology, a company specialized in motion capture using artificial intelligence. The company, founded in 2017, focused on extracting animation data from single-camera video. This operation consolidates an initial investment that Autodesk made in 2022. As a result, RADiCAL's web portal will cease operations starting July 6, 2026.
From a flat video to a real-time animated skeleton 🤖
RADiCAL's technology was based on neural networks to interpret human movement in conventional 2D videos. The system was capable of generating a 3D rig and animation data without the need for sensors, specialized suits, or multiple cameras. This opened the door to more accessible motion capture for small studios or projects with limited budgets. Integration into the Autodesk ecosystem could bring these capabilities to tools like Maya or MotionBuilder.
Farewell to the dream of animating with your cousin's wedding video 😢
With the portal's closure, the fantasy of turning that home video into professional animation with two clicks fades away. Now we have to wait and see how Autodesk implements the technology. We'll probably find it, conveniently packaged, in the next subscription suite that costs an annual kidney. In the meantime, hobbyists will have to go back to using traditional methods, like actually learning to animate.