PDE-based Facial Animation: Making the Complex Simple

YesDirect parameterisation is among the most widely used facial animation techniques but requires complicated ways to animate face models which have complex topology. This paper develops a simple solution by introducing a PDE-based facial animation scheme. Using a PDE face model means we only need to animate a group of boundary curves without using any other conventional surface interpolation algorithms. We describe the basis of the method and show results from a practical implementation.EPSR

Towards responsive Sensitive Artificial Listeners

This paper describes work in the recently started project SEMAINE, which aims to build a set of Sensitive Artificial Listeners – conversational agents designed to sustain an interaction with a human user despite limited verbal skills, through robust recognition and generation of non-verbal behaviour in real-time, both when the agent is speaking and listening. We report on data collection and on the design of a system architecture in view of real-time responsiveness

FacEMOTE: Qualitative Parametric Modifiers for Facial Animations

We propose a control mechanism for facial expressions by applying a few carefully chosen parametric modifications to preexisting expression data streams. This approach applies to any facial animation resource expressed in the general MPEG-4 form, whether taken from a library of preset facial expressions, captured from live performance, or entirely manually created. The MPEG-4 Facial Animation Parameters (FAPs) represent a facial expression as a set of parameterized muscle actions, given as intensity of individual muscle movements over time. Our system varies expressions by changing the intensities and scope of sets of MPEG-4 FAPs. It creates variations in “expressiveness” across the face model rather than simply scale, interpolate, or blend facial mesh node positions. The parameters are adapted from the Effort parameters of Laban Movement Analysis (LMA); we developed a mapping from their values onto sets of FAPs. The FacEMOTE parameters thus perturb a base expression to create a wide range of expressions. Such an approach could allow real-time face animations to change underlying speech or facial expression shapes dynamically according to current agent affect or user interaction needs

Sign Language Tutoring Tool

In this project, we have developed a sign language tutor that lets users learn isolated signs by watching recorded videos and by trying the same signs. The system records the user's video and analyses it. If the sign is recognized, both verbal and animated feedback is given to the user. The system is able to recognize complex signs that involve both hand gestures and head movements and expressions. Our performance tests yield a 99% recognition rate on signs involving only manual gestures and 85% recognition rate on signs that involve both manual and non manual components, such as head movement and facial expressions.Comment: eNTERFACE'06. Summer Workshop. on Multimodal Interfaces, Dubrovnik : Croatie (2007