SBIR Phase II: Facial Animation for Communication Enhancement

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目将建立在第一阶段的概念验证演示的基础上，即使用基于pc的面部动画来补充口头和手语交流。无缝解决方案将开发软件工具和动画库，使用户能够基于该技术创作和传播多媒体内容。具体而言，该项目将(1)扩大面部表情动画的“词汇”；(2)开发一种标记语言和创作工具，使教育工作者和其他潜在用户能够在他们的多媒体内容中加入美国手语（ASL）和其他视觉/原语交流；(3)开发一个运动图像专家组（MPEG-4）接口，并将动画与宾夕法尼亚大学正在开发的手语识别系统集成在一起。MPEG是开发流媒体合成和自然视频、音频和3D图形标准的国际委员会。MPEG-4是第四个国际通信标准，其中包括用于虚拟电话会议等应用的流媒体三维虚拟人的标准。该项目将建立在无缝解决方案的关键动画引擎技术上，该技术允许同步语音、手势和面部表情动画的交互式实时合成。研究计划的高潮是对由经验丰富的聋人教育者开发的原型应用程序进行课堂评估。面部动画与声音、手势和手势同步，大大提高了电脑生成角色的真实感和沟通技巧。无缝解决方案公司将开发这项技术的应用，不仅适用于聋人，还适用于可嵌入教育软件、网页和虚拟电话会议应用程序中的交互式3d角色。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will build on the Phase I proof-of-concept demonstration of the use of PC-based facial animations to supplement verbal and sign language communications. Seamless Solutions will develop software tools and animation libraries that will enable users to author and disseminate multimedia content based on this technology. Specifically, the project will (1) expand the "vocabulary" of facial expression animations; (2) develop a Markup Language and authoring tools that enable educators and other potential users to include American Sign Language (ASL) and other visual/gastrula communication in their multimedia content; and (3) develop an Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG-4) interface and integrate the animations with the Sign Language Recognition system being developed at the University of Pennsylvania. MPEG is the international committee developing the standard for streaming compositie synthetic and natural video, audio, and 3D graphics. MPEG-4 is the fourth international communication standard which includes the standard for streaming 3-D virtual humans for applications such as virtual teleconferencing.) This project will build on Seamless Solution's key Animation Engine technology that allows the interactive, real-time composition of synchronized voice, gesture, and facial expression animations. The research plan culminates with classroom evaluation of prototype applications developed by experienced educators of the deaf. Facial animations, synchronized to voice, gesture, and signs, greatly enhance both the realism and the communications skills of computer-generated characters. Seamless Solutions will develop applications of this technology not only for the Deaf, but also for interactive 3-D characters that can be embedded in educational software, in Web pages, and in virtual teleconference applications.