Virtual Character Avatar System for Immersive Interaction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional character interaction experiences are non-immersive and lack realism, failing to provide an engaging and memorable experience for users, as they often involve costumed actors or voiceovers that do not convincingly represent the characters.
Innovation Solution
A character interaction system that captures real-time behavior data of a performer at one location and transmits it to another location for real-time rendering as a virtual character avatar, enabling full-duplex audio and video communication and utilizing extended reality technologies to create an immersive experience, allowing the virtual character to interact with users and appear in the real world.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a person in a costume or voiceover is used to represent a character, then the interaction can be established, but the immersion and realism are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual character avatar that copies the visual appearance and behavioral characteristics of the real character, allowing users to interact with a realistic digital representation rather than a costumed actor. This copying approach maintains realism while eliminating the obvious artificiality of costumes and voiceovers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of costumed actors with a digital/virtual system. Instead of physical costumes and human performers, the system uses computer-generated avatars driven by behavioral data, substituting mechanical performance with digital rendering and simulation.
2Reliability
If real-time behavior data capture and transmission is implemented, then immersive interaction is achieved, but system complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual character avatar as an intermediary between the real character and the user. The avatar receives behavioral data from the real character and translates it into interactive responses, mediating the interaction while maintaining realism without requiring direct connection between user and real character.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements full-duplex audio and video communication, creating real-time feedback loops between the user and the virtual character avatar. This feedback mechanism enhances immersion by allowing natural, responsive interaction while the system processes behavioral data in real-time.
3Reliability
If extended reality technologies are used to make the virtual character appear in the real world, then the immersive experience is enhanced, but the technical complexity and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the virtual character avatar from a two-dimensional screen representation to a three-dimensional presence in the user's physical space using extended reality technologies. This dimensional change allows the character to appear as if genuinely present in the real world, enhancing authenticity and immersion.
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary character interaction system located at a first site receives character behavior data representative of captured behavior of a real-world performer located at a second site. Based on the character behavior data, the system presents, to an interactive user at the first site, a representation of a virtual character avatar that performs, in real-time synchrony with the real-world performer at the second site, the captured behavior of the real-world performer. During this presentation of the virtual character avatar, the system provides user video data representative of captured behavior of the interactive user for presentation to the real-world performer to allow the real-world performer to interact in real time with the interactive user via the virtual character avatar. The system also generates an augmented representation of an interaction between the virtual character avatar and the interactive user for presentation to a non-interactive observer. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.