SBIR Phase II: Facial Animation for Communication Enhancement

该小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目将建立在第一阶段概念验证演示的基础上，该演示使用基于PC的面部动画来补充口头和手语交流。无缝解决方案公司将开发软件工具和动画库，使用户能够创作和传播基于该技术的多媒体内容。具体地说，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包括美国手语(ASL)和其他视觉/胃肠交流；(3)开发运动图像专家组(MPEG-4)界面，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。Mpeg是开发合成和自然视频、音频和3D图形流传输标准的国际委员会。Mpeg-4是第四个国际通信标准，其中包括针对虚拟电话会议等应用的3-D虚拟人流传输标准。)该项目将建立在无缝解决方案的关键动画引擎技术的基础上，该技术允许实时交互地合成同步的语音、手势和面部表情动画。研究计划的最终结果是对有经验的聋人教育工作者开发的原型应用程序进行课堂评估。面部动画与语音、手势和手势同步，极大地增强了计算机生成角色的真实感和沟通技能。无缝解决方案公司将不仅为聋人开发这项技术的应用，还将开发可以嵌入教育软件、网页和虚拟电话会议应用程序的交互式3-D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.