"""Aura Matrix Studio explainer importer. Run in Blender's Scripting workspace. Creates a NEW scene. Never deletes or replaces another scene. For automation: blender --background --python tools/blender_import.py -- explainer.json output.blend Original work: Luke Nathan Hayes / Strange But True / Aura of Intelligence. """ import json import math import sys ROWS, COLS = 12, 24 SHELLS = [('Red', '#e23a2e'), ('Orange', '#f2801f'), ('Yellow', '#edc119'), ('Green', '#35a24f'), ('Blue', '#2f6fed'), ('Indigo', '#5546c8'), ('Violet', '#9a4fd6')] PRESETS = { 'flat': (0, 0, 0, 0, 0), 'tube': (1, 0, 0, 0, 0), 'ring': (1, 1, 0, 0, 0), 'horn': (1, 1, 1, 0, 0), 'nested': (1, 1, 1, 1, 0), 'body': (1, 1, 1, 1, 1) } CAMERAS = {'front': (0, 0), 'quarter': (.55, .4), 'top': (0, 1.5)} def validate(data): if data.get('format') != 'aura-explainer/1' or data.get('lattice') != 'aura-lattice/1.0.0' or data.get('rows') != ROWS or data.get('columns') != COLS: raise ValueError('This importer requires an Aura explainer with the fixed 12 x 24 matrix.') if type(data.get('shell')) is not int or not 0 <= data['shell'] <= 6: raise ValueError('Invalid selected shell.') if not isinstance(data.get('story'), list) or not data['story']: raise ValueError('The explainer has no shots.') for shot in data['story']: if shot.get('preset') not in PRESETS or shot.get('camera') not in CAMERAS: raise ValueError('Unknown shape or camera.') duration = shot.get('duration') if not isinstance(duration, (int, float)) or not math.isfinite(duration) or not 1 <= duration <= 120: raise ValueError('Shot duration must be 1 to 120 seconds.') if not isinstance(shot.get('caption'), str) or len(shot['caption']) > 700: raise ValueError('Invalid caption.') return data def pose_at(story, time): time = max(0, min(time, sum(s['duration'] for s in story))) begin, index = 0, 0 for i, shot in enumerate(story): index = i if time < begin + shot['duration'] or i == len(story) - 1: break begin += shot['duration'] shot, previous = story[index], story[max(0, index - 1)] t = max(0, min(1, (time - begin) / min(3, shot['duration'] * .65))) t = t * t * (3 - 2 * t) pose = [a + (b - a) * t for a, b in zip(PRESETS[previous['preset']], PRESETS[shot['preset']])] camera = [a + (b - a) * t for a, b in zip(CAMERAS[previous['camera']], CAMERAS[shot['camera']])] return pose, camera def point(u, v, pose): curl, ring, pinch, nest, arrange = pose tau = 2 * math.pi radius, axial = ROWS / tau, COLS + (ROWS - COLS) * pinch av, au = curl * tau, ring * tau t = ROWS / av * math.sin((v - 1) * av) if av > 1e-6 else (v - 1) * ROWS g = ROWS / av * (1 - math.cos((v - 1) * av)) if av > 1e-6 else 0 dr, y = g - radius * curl, -(t + ROWS / 2 * (1 - curl)) if au <= 1e-6: return ((u - .5) * axial, y, dr) rho, psi = axial / au, (u - .5) * au return ((rho + dr) * math.sin(psi), y, (rho + dr) * math.cos(psi) - rho + axial / tau * ring) def shell_point(u, v, pose, shell): x, y, z = point(u, v, pose) nest, arrange = pose[3:] scale = 1 + (((shell + 1) / 7 + (.44 - (shell + 1) / 7) * arrange) - 1) * nest return x * scale, y * scale + (shell - 3) * 2.3 * arrange * nest, z * scale def to_blender(xyz): # Source Y-up to Blender Z-up, preserving handedness. x, y, z = xyz return x, -z, y def create_scene(data): import bpy from mathutils import Vector validate(data) scene = bpy.data.scenes.new('Aura Matrix Explainer') if bpy.context.window: bpy.context.window.scene = scene scene['aura_lattice'] = 'aura-lattice/1.0.0' scene['source_explainer'] = json.dumps(data) scene.render.engine = 'BLENDER_EEVEE_NEXT' if 'BLENDER_EEVEE_NEXT' in [x.identifier for x in bpy.types.RenderSettings.bl_rna.properties['engine'].enum_items] else 'CYCLES' scene.render.resolution_x, scene.render.resolution_y = 1280, 720 scene.render.resolution_percentage = 100 scene.render.fps = 24 scene.frame_start = 1 scene.frame_end = round(sum(s['duration'] for s in data['story']) * 24) + 1 world = bpy.data.worlds.new('Aura paper world') scene.world = world world.use_nodes = True world.node_tree.nodes['Background'].inputs['Color'].default_value = (.8, .82, .78, 1) world.node_tree.nodes['Background'].inputs['Strength'].default_value = .6 samples = sorted(set([1, scene.frame_end] + list(range(1, scene.frame_end + 1, 4)))) # Include exact shot boundaries as well as six sampled poses per second. start = 0 for i, shot in enumerate(data['story']): samples.extend([round(start * 24) + 1, round((start + min(3, shot['duration'] * .65)) * 24) + 1]) marker = scene.timeline_markers.new(f'{i+1}. {shot["caption"][:80]}', frame=round(start * 24) + 1) start += shot['duration'] samples = sorted(set(samples)) uv = [(c / COLS, r / ROWS) for r in range(ROWS + 1) for c in range(COLS + 1)] faces = [(r * 25 + c, r * 25 + c + 1, (r + 1) * 25 + c + 1, (r + 1) * 25 + c) for r in range(ROWS) for c in range(COLS)] pose, _ = pose_at(data['story'], 0) for shell, (name, colour) in enumerate(SHELLS): mesh = bpy.data.meshes.new(f'{name} 12x24 lattice') mesh.from_pydata([to_blender(shell_point(u, v, pose, shell)) for u, v in uv], [], faces) mesh.update() cell_attr = mesh.attributes.new(name='aura_cell', type='INT', domain='FACE') for i, cell in enumerate(cell_attr.data): cell.value = i + 1 obj = bpy.data.objects.new(f'Aura {name}', mesh) scene.collection.objects.link(obj) obj['rows'], obj['columns'], obj['shell'] = ROWS, COLS, name obj['address_convention'] = f'{name} I1..I288 / O1..O288' material = bpy.data.materials.new(f'Aura {name} colour') rgba = tuple(int(colour[i:i+2], 16) / 255 for i in (1, 3, 5)) + (1,) material.diffuse_color = rgba material.use_nodes = True material.node_tree.nodes['Principled BSDF'].inputs['Base Color'].default_value = rgba material.node_tree.nodes['Principled BSDF'].inputs['Roughness'].default_value = .5 mesh.materials.append(material) # Wire surfaces keep all seven nested matrices visible without opacity sorting. wire = obj.modifiers.new('Address grid', 'WIREFRAME') wire.thickness = .022 wire.use_replace = True obj.shape_key_add(name='Basis') keys = mesh.shape_keys keys.use_relative = False for frame in samples: pose, _ = pose_at(data['story'], (frame - 1) / 24) if frame == 1: key = keys.key_blocks[0] else: key = obj.shape_key_add(name=f'Pose {frame:05d}') key.interpolation = 'KEY_LINEAR' for i, (u, v) in enumerate(uv): key.data[i].co = to_blender(shell_point(u, v, pose, shell)) keys.eval_time = key.frame keys.keyframe_insert(data_path='eval_time', frame=frame) obj.hide_render = obj.hide_viewport = pose[3] <= .001 and shell != data['shell'] obj.keyframe_insert(data_path='hide_render', frame=frame) obj.keyframe_insert(data_path='hide_viewport', frame=frame) camera_data = bpy.data.cameras.new('Aura explainer camera') camera = bpy.data.objects.new('Aura explainer camera', camera_data) scene.collection.objects.link(camera) scene.camera = camera camera_data.type = 'PERSP' camera_data.sensor_fit = 'VERTICAL' camera_data.sensor_height = 24 camera_data.lens = 24 / (2 * math.tan(math.radians(18))) camera_data.clip_end = 300 for frame in samples: pose, (theta, phi) = pose_at(data['story'], (frame - 1) / 24) size = max(9, 24 * (1 - pose[1]) + 13 * pose[1], 20 * pose[4]) distance = max(size / 1.65 * 1.85, 31 * pose[4]) camera.location = to_blender((math.sin(theta) * math.cos(phi) * distance, math.sin(phi) * distance, math.cos(theta) * math.cos(phi) * distance)) camera.rotation_euler = (-Vector(camera.location)).to_track_quat('-Z', 'Y').to_euler() camera.keyframe_insert(data_path='location', frame=frame) camera.keyframe_insert(data_path='rotation_euler', frame=frame) light_data = bpy.data.lights.new('Aura soft light', type='AREA') light_data.energy, light_data.shape, light_data.size = 1800, 'DISK', 12 light = bpy.data.objects.new('Aura soft light', light_data) scene.collection.objects.link(light) light.location = (0, -10, 14) light.rotation_euler = (-Vector(light.location)).to_track_quat('-Z', 'Y').to_euler() scene.frame_set(1) return scene def main(): import bpy if '--' in sys.argv: args = sys.argv[sys.argv.index('--') + 1:] with open(args[0], encoding='utf-8') as file: scene = create_scene(json.load(file)) if len(args) > 1: bpy.ops.wm.save_as_mainfile(filepath=args[1]) print(f'AURA_IMPORT_OK: {len(scene.objects)} objects; {scene.frame_end} frames; 7 x 288 fixed cells') return from bpy.props import StringProperty from bpy_extras.io_utils import ImportHelper class AURA_OT_import_explainer(bpy.types.Operator, ImportHelper): bl_idname = 'aura.import_matrix_explainer' bl_label = 'Import Aura explainer into a new scene' filename_ext = '.json' filter_glob: StringProperty(default='*.json', options={'HIDDEN'}) def execute(self, context): try: with open(self.filepath, encoding='utf-8') as file: create_scene(json.load(file)) self.report({'INFO'}, 'Aura animation created in a new scene.') return {'FINISHED'} except (ValueError, KeyError, OSError) as error: self.report({'ERROR'}, str(error)) return {'CANCELLED'} existing = getattr(bpy.types, 'AURA_OT_import_explainer', None) if existing: bpy.utils.unregister_class(existing) bpy.utils.register_class(AURA_OT_import_explainer) bpy.ops.aura.import_matrix_explainer('INVOKE_DEFAULT') if __name__ == '__main__': main()