Synthesis of Facial Expressions for Semantic Coding of Videophone Sequences

In this contribution, amethod for the synthesis of facial expressions for semantic coding of videophone sequences is presented. Firstly, a generic 3D face model is automatically adapted to the eyes, mouth, eyebrows, nose and chin and cheek contours of the individual face in the sequence. Secondly, a synthesis of facial expressions of this individual face is carried out using a model of the human facial muscles. Applying the described algorithms to the videophone sequences Akiyo and Miss America (CIF, 10Hz), the face model is successfully adapted at the beginning of the videophone sequence and facial expressions of the individual faces are synthesized. 1. Introduction In typical videophone sequences, head and shoulder of human persons appear in the scene. For coding of such kind of sequences at very low bit rates, semantic coding (also called model--based coding) has been proposed [1][2]. In this coding scheme, facial expressions of a person are described by mimic parameters e.g. actio..