Creating custom textures and 3D models for Augmented Faces

  • Augmented Faces in ARCore uses custom 3D models and textures (.fbx files) overlaid on detected faces.

  • ARCore provides a canonical_face_mesh.fbx and canonical_face_mesh.psd file to aid in creating these custom assets.

  • Artists should use the provided .psd file as a guide to align textures with facial features and understand UV mapping.

  • Exported .fbx files should adhere to specific settings, including FBX format, axis, scale, and geometry settings, for compatibility with ARCore.

  • Custom meshes should be skinned to designated bones (NOSE_TIP, FOREHEAD_RIGHT, FOREHEAD_LEFT) and organized under the 'asset' node in the hierarchy.

To implement Augmented Faces, you need customized textures and models for overlaying on identified face meshes. These assets are created by artists ahead of time in 3D modeling and animation software, and exported as *.fbx files.

The Sceneform SDK for Android ships with a canonical_face_mesh.fbx file and a canonical_face_mesh.psd file to help artists create assets that will overlay properly onto faces detected by ARCore. These files can be found in the assets folder.

Using the *.fbx file to create assets

The *.fbx file contains the face mesh topology, UV texture coordinates, and rig that define the supported facial regions provided for creating and attaching assets. To ensure they're compatible with ARCore,*.fbx files should be saved using supported settings. You can then import these files into your project as *.sfb files.

This file contains a reference facemesh that should not be exported as part of the final *.fbx. ARCore will generate and update a separate face mesh at runtime.

Using the *.psd file to create assets

The .psd face mesh reference texture is used to see how a texture that an artist creates lines up with a user's facial features at runtime. It includes four layers:

  • Mask: Shows where the eyes, nostrils, and mouth are located in the texture.
  • Lines: Guidelines that show how a user's facial features line up with a texture during runtime.
  • UVs: Represents triangulation of the 468 point face texture mesh.
  • Background: A neutral gray background layer to make the other three components visually clear.

If you modify the *.psd file, you should see your changes as soon as you export.

FBX asset format and requirements

We recommend and support the following settings for *.fbx files exported from modeling and animation software.

  • File format: FBX 2016/2017 or later

  • Axis conversion: Up axis is Y

  • Scale factor: Centimeters

  • Required geometry settings:

    • Smoothing groups
    • Smooth mesh
    • Referenced asset content

  • Recommended geometry settings:

    • Tangents and binormals
    • Triangulate
    • NURBS

  • Animation: enabled

  • Deformed models settings:

    • Deformed models
    • Skins

Customizing the canonical face mesh

If models and textures are being created using the assets/canonical_face_mesh.fbx included in the SDK, these settings are also required when exporting *.fbx files:

  • Make sure the any custom meshes are skinned to the associated bones or regions.

  • Use the following hierarchy:

    asset
|__root
|   |__NOSE_TIP
|   |__FOREHEAD_RIGHT
|   |__FOREHEAD_LEFT
|__facemesh           <-- for reference
|__                   <-- place additional custom 3D meshes here

  • Do not export the included facemesh model. This mesh is for reference only. ARCore will create a separate face mesh at runtime. Use the UVs in facemesh as a reference when creating custom face mesh textures.

  • Place custom meshes as children of the asset node.

  • Use of namespaces is supported.

  • The asset contains four bones consisting of root and three regions: NOSE_TIP, FOREHEAD_RIGHT, and FOREHEAD_LEFT. Do not change the names of these bones.