Unity Acquires Ziva Dynamics To Create Realistic Digital Characters

Game engine maker Unity has acquired Ziva Dynamics. That company makes software for realistically representing digital characters. The Ziva technology can also be used for all creatures and objects that deform.

The Ziva VFX software from the company taking over Unity, was created to digitally mimic the physics of soft tissue such as muscle, fat, and skin and link it to a 3D model. That can be used to create realistic digital characters, animals or other creatures. The technique is also suitable for realistically depicting the movement of clothing and textiles.

Unity and Ziva Dynamics show the technology in a video that was made especially for the takeover. In it, the virtual character Emma talks about the technology. According to Unity, this is a demo that runs real-time in the Unity engine.

Ziva VFX works together with ZivaRT. The latter is machine learning software to train models, developed to accurately reconstruct distortions in game engines. According to Unity, training Emma used more than 30 terabytes of data.

‘s software Ziva Dynamics is used in PS5 game Spider-Man: Miles Morales for deforming the main character’s muscle tissue. The software is also used in the creation of Ninja Theory’s Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II game. That game is made with Epics Unreal Engine 5. Furthermore, the Ziva software is used in the TV series Game of Thrones and the movie Godzilla vs. Kong.

Unity says it wants to further improve Ziva Dynamics’ tools. Financial details of the acquisition have not been disclosed.