MANUS Core 2.1 | Step By Step
Note: This article applies to both Prime 3 Haptic XR Gloves and Prime 3 Mocap Gloves
Note: This article applies to both Quantum Mocap Metagloves and Quantum XR Metagloves.
The Viewport
There are two views for the main viewport, Hands View and Scene View.
Hands View
By default MANUS Core shows the Hands View. This view has a Glove mode and a Data mode.
Glove View
This view allows you to view your virtual hands. It uses a skeletal hand to best show all the bones in your hands.
Data View
This view allows you to look at the data driving your virtual hands. The top three green bars translate to the rotation of the individual joints in the finger digits. The bottom row translates to the sideways motion of each finger.
Haptics View
When Haptic gloves are used you can use this view to test and visualise all haptics. The slider helps you to set the intensity of the vibrations.
Scene View
This view lets you look at an entire character with live tracking data being applied to it.
When no body-capture data is available (live or playback) your hands data will be applied to a static T-Pose for reference.
Side Panel
Users Tab
Here you will have an overview of all created User Profiles and its gloves.
Depending on your pipeline this will also include trackers used for hand positional tracking or full body capture.
The main feature in this tab will be calibrating your Gloves
Calibrate: Starts the calibration process for the user. From there you can choose what you want to calibrate.
Profile Settings: Will open the Profile Settings side panel where you can adjust and assign gloves and trackers to the user as well as change the user's profile name.
Gloves(x): This dropdown allows you to see the gloves connected to this profile. It also lets you see the battery and signal status when hovering over their respective icons.
Trackers(x): This dropdown allows you to see the trackers connected to this profile.
Add Profile: Opens a popup to create and setup a new user profile.
User Order
The order of user profiles can be changed by dragging and dropping profiles. This is useful for plugins that use the user's index to determine what data to stream to what model.
Profile Settings
Name: Here you can see and change the users profile name
Remove Profile: This allows you to delete the current profile.
GLOVES
Calibrate: This will trigger the calibration process for the gloves only.
Dongle: This shows the dongle linked to the user profile for wireless glove use. If more than one dongle is connected, you can select them from the drop-down menu.
Left and Right Gloves: This shows the gloves assigned to the user profile. This can be manually changed using the dropdown.
TRACKERS
Calibrate: This will trigger the tracker calibration process.
BODY MEASUREMENTS
Here you can tweak the users' specific body measurements to better match their physical proportions.
Make sure the viewport is set to Scene View to see the adjustments take effect.
APPLY & CLOSE
Applies any changes made and closes the profile settings.
Devices Tab
In the Devices Panel, you can see all devices that are currently connected.
You can see all dongles connected, all gloves paired to a dongle, all gloves connected wired, all gloves ready to be paired to a dongle, and all trackers currently connected.
When there is new firmware available for your connected devices, an exclamation icon will inform you about this.
Dongle Information
When selecting/opening a dongle from the devices panel its details will show up below it.
- Series: This indicates which glove series the dongle was made for
- Dongle ID: A unique identifier for each dongle, mostly used for reference and to communicate with the MANUS Support team when needed. To copy the ID number, simply click the “copy” icon next to it.
- Dongle Firmware: Showing the current version of the firmware installed on the glove. And the ability to update the firmware with the “Update” button.
- License: Current license loaded on this dongle. Determines availability of certain features.
Glove Information
When selecting/opening a glove from the devices panel its details will show up below it.
- Glove ID: A unique identifier for each glove, mostly used for reference and to communicate with the MANUS Support team when needed. To copy the ID number, simply click the “copy” icon next to it.
- Firmware: Showing the current version of the firmware installed on the glove. And the ability to update the firmware with the “Update” button.
- Hardware revision: This indicates the version of the hardware in your glove.
Calibrate will start the calibration process for that individual glove. Please check the Calibration article for step-by-step guidance.
The calibration is stored in your user profile.
Unpair will disconnect the wireless glove from the current dongle. The glove will then appear in the ‘Unpaired Gloves’ section of the devices tab.
When using the gloves wired, they will appear in the ‘Wired Gloves’ section of the devices tab. Wired gloves cannot be paired with a dongle. A connected dongle is still required for license purposes.
Tracker information
The bottom section of the Devices panel will display all connected trackers with additional information per tracker;
- A reference color to visually identify the tracker in the scene view.
- The type of tracker
- The tracker ID
Settings
General
UI Scale: The Dashboard uses your Windows scaling settings to determine how large UI elements should be. If you want to adjust the size of interface elements independent of your Windows scaling, simply use the dropdown menu to select a different UI scale. Whether you are looking at the Dashboard on a large TV from far away in your mocap space or you’re sitting behind your desk, you can easily see and use the Dashboard.
Render to VR headset: If you want to visualize your gloves or Polygon in VR, make sure that this checkbox is on.
Scale Skeleton: Globally scales your models using the calibrated hand and body dimensions.
Render when unfocused: Switching this off will help lower CPU and GPU usage when using other applications on your desktop, minimising MANUS Core.
MANUS Core Connection: This opens a dialog where you can switch to another local or networked device running MANUS Core.
This opens a dialog where you can manually specify what MANUS Core instance the MANUS Core dashboard connects to. Mainly used for connecting to remote instances over a network.
Hardware
Force firmware update: Allows you to update your gloves regardless if they are already on the latest firmware. Useful for potentially failed firmware updates where the device got disconnected mid-update.
Automatic Channel Optimization: Each dongle automatically selects the optimal wireless channel when you start MANUS Core. Turn this off if you want your gloves to always stay on your manually configured wireless channels.
Glove
Prime Series Thumb and Finger IMU Data: The MANUS Prime II & X Series gloves use two kinds of sensors: orientation sensors (IMU) and bend sensors. Disabling these settings disables IMU data and rely solely on the bend sensor data. This is useful in instances where lots of IMU sensor drift is experienced.
Quantum Pinch Correction: This prioritizes finger endpoint positions over joint angle accuracy.
Hand Rotation: The hand orientation slider allows you to rotate the visualization of the hand in the Hand View. This allows you to properly dial your specific preferred orientation.
Tracking
Keep tracker position: This keeps the tracker in its last known position when tracking is lost.
Tracker timeout: If this option is on, the trackers that lose connection will disappear from the viewport. After the tracker timeout specified time.
Tracker timeout time: Sets the amount of time in seconds a tracker has to have lost tracking before it's removed.
Tracking System
ART: The ART tracking system can't be detected by the system, so this manual toggle allows you to select it when using.
Updates per second: This sets the amount of captured samples per second for the tracking system.
Port: This sets the port through which communication with the tracking system is handled.
Recording
MANUS Core has triggered recording functionality for OptiTrack Motive, Vicon Shogun, PeelCapture and Qualisys.
Motive trigger: Enables remote triggering of a MANUS Core recording when a capture is started in OptiTrack Motive. Please refer to OptiTrack's documentation on how to setup remote triggering in motive.
Motive port: For Motive you will need to enable the Remote Trigger functionality inside Motive.
Optitrack's default port is the specified Command Port (default: 1510) + 2. This means your trigger port number will be 1512.
PeelCapture trigger: Enables remote triggering when using PeelCapture. If you are using PeelCapture software and you want the recording of the hands to start at the same time, make sure this checkbox is on.
You will also needs the PeelCapture Plugin for MANUS Core 2. You can download this from our resource center.
PeelCapture port: By default, your trigger port number will be 1212.
Vicon Shogun trigger: Enables remote triggering of a Manus Core recording when capturing in Vicon Shogun. Please refer to Vicon Shogun's documentation on how to enable remote triggering in Vicon Shogun.
Vicon Shogun port: Vicon Shogun's configured port (default 30).
Qualisys trigger: Enables remote triggering of a MANUS Core recording when capturing in Qualysis QTM.
Qualisys port: Qualysis QTM remote triggering port. By default, your trigger port number will be 8989.
Auto Save Recordings: This will automatically save any recording you make to the specified folder.
Timecode
Timestamp data using timecode: This will use the timecode provided time to timestamp the data. This applies to both recordings and data streamed out to plugins.
Interface: Select the input audio-interface your LTC and Sync/Genlock signal is being sent to. Generally, this will be a line-in interface. The left channel will bethe Sync/Genlock signal and the right the LTC signal. The button on the right reloads all currently available audio-interfaces
Genlock: Allows you to specify if a Sync/Genlock pulse signal is used. This signal should be sent to the left channel of the above specified interface.
Keep interface alive: Keeps the interface available even when the audio signal is lost, or the cable is removed / replugged.
About MANUS Core
In this panel you can see which version of MANUS Core and its Dashboard you are currently using.
You can also check for software updates from here.
Recording
Pressing REC in the top right corner will open the control panel as well as the recording side panel for additional options.
Control Panel
Frame Backwards: Allows you to go back one frame at a time.
Play: Will start and stop playback of the current recording.
Record: Starts and stops a recording.
Frame Forwards: Allows you to go forward one frame at a time.
Stop: Stops recording or playback and goes to the in-point.
Loop: Toggles looped playback.
Set-In: Will set the starting point for a selection of the recording to the current frame.
Set-Out: Will set the end point for a selection of the recording to the current frame.
Framerate: Lets you select the playback framerate to 24, 25, 30, 48, 60, 90 or 120 frames per second (fps).
Frame Position: Shows the current frame and the amount total frames in the recording. This is dependent on the selected framerate.
Main Time: Shows the current time during playback. Time is shown as HH:MM:SS:FFF by default. When the recording has timecode available, this will be shown as HH:MM:SS:FF
End Time: Indicates the total length of the recording.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Side Panel
Open
You can also load previously saved files. Simply click Load and select the recording you would like to open.
Save
To save the currently loaded recording you press "Save" and a file dialog will open to select where to save the file and with what name.
Files will be saved as .MREC which is a MANUS Recording file and can be loaded in MANUS Core.
By default, a recording will be saved once you stop recording.
If you are using triggered recording, the files will be saved in the folder you configured in Motive or Shogun.
Clear
When you stop recording, the recorded animation will be loaded. Youcan clear the current recording to go back to live data. Please beware that any unsaved recording will be lost.
Export
Export your recording to a different file format for use outside of MANUS Core. The current recording will be exported using the specified in and out points.
Batch Export
For exporting multiple .mrec files using identical settings. Pressing "Batch Export" will open a popup window with all "Batch Export" settings. These .mrec files will then be converted to a different file format.
Current
This shows the name of the currently loaded recording.
Auto save recordings
When enabled this will automatically save your recording to a .mrec file afterrecording. To the specified folder. When triggered recording is used the file willbe saved using the name and location specified by the software sending out therecording trigger. If no location or name are specified these settings will be usedas a fallback.
Make sure Auto Save Recordings this is toggled on when using triggered recording
External timecode
This will show the status of your timecode signal. When a recording is loaded it will show the recorded timecode data. When the data is live it will show the live timecode signal.
Export Settings
Filename
Here you can choose the name of your exported FBX file.
Files
For Batch Export only. This will list all files you have added (with the ‘Add Files’ button) for batch exporting.
Location
Specify the folder where the exported file(s) will be saved to.
Suffix
For Batch Export only. The exported filenames will be copied from the original .MREC files. These filenames will be appended with the suffix set here.
Skeleton Structures
You can choose different skeleton structures depending on your use case for the exported FBX file.
- MANUS
- Polygon Avatar
- Autodesk
- HumanIK
- Xsens
- MVN Avatar (Mo)
- Unreal 4
- Unreal Default
- (external) Mannequin Male
- (external) Mannequin Female
- Unreal 5
- Unreal Default
- (external) Mannequin Male (Manny)
- (external) Mannequin Female (Quinn)
- Metahuman
- (external) Metahuman Female Short Underweight
- (external) Metahuman Female Short Normalweight
- (external) Metahuman Female Short Overweight
- (external) Metahuman Female Average Underweight
- (external) Metahuman Female Average Normalweight
- (external) Metahuman Female Average Overweight
- (external) Metahuman Female Tall Underweight
- (external) Metahuman Female Tall Normalweight
- (external) Metahuman Female Tall Overweight
- (external) Metahuman Male Short Underweight
- (external) Metahuman Male Short Normalweight
- (external) Metahuman Male Short Overweight
- (external) Metahuman Male Average Underweight
- (external) Metahuman Male Average Normalweight
- (external) Metahuman Male Average Overweight
- (external) Metahuman Male Tall Underweight
- (external) Metahuman Male Tall Normalweight
- (external) Metahuman Male Tall Overweight
- Mixamo
- X Bot
- Y Bot
Settings
Framerate: Setting the exported framerate to 24, 25, 30, 48, 60, 90 or 120 frames per second (fps).
Units: Sets the equivalent to 1-unit in the exported FBX. Options are: millimetres(mm), centimetres(cm), decimetres(dm), meters(m), kilometres(km), inch or foot.
Include SMPTE timecode signal: This will timestamp the frames of the FBX file using the timecode time (if available).
Include meshes: This will include the character and tracker meshes in the exported file.
Use wrist rotation: When only exporting glove data, we could use the wrist rotation setting to select if we want to include the orientation of the hand in the export.
Export hands individually: : Checking this will export separate files for each hand and user using the suffix _L and _R.
Use full skeleton: Will export the entire full body skeleton. When only hand data is provided the skeleton will be in a t-pose.
Include tracker transforms: This will include the original tracking positions and rotation when trackers were part of the recording.
Use first frame bind pose: This will swap out the first frame for t-pose bind pose in the exported file.
Use keyframe reduction: This will remove redundant keyframes in the animation curves. This can drastically reduce file size with minimal loss to accuracy.
Keyframe interpolation mode: Can be set to Cubic or Linear.
Linear will linearly interpolate between keyframes resulting in absolute curves with no overshoot.
Cubic will smoothly interpolate between keyframes with a small risk of overshooting absolute positions.
Scale skeleton: Scales the skeleton using the calibrated hand and body dimensions.
