Voice Interaction, Recognition and Participation (VIRP)

在一个面对面互动被切断的世界里，沉浸式媒体提供的联系、娱乐、教育和培训人们的机会更加重要。语音交互将沉浸式媒体提升到了一个全新的水平，允许用户与虚拟角色交谈和倾听。在真实的世界中，我们从一个人那里得到的信息会对我们的记忆和情感产生更大的影响。这种创新允许这种相同的体验，为用户提供完美的环境，在这个分离的世界中进行连接。然而，目前，将语音交互集成到沉浸式媒体中所需的技术只适用于少数几个拥有大量预算、大量人力和慷慨时间表的项目团队。它不适用于那些作为个人或小型开发团队构建沉浸式技术的人，因此沉浸式媒体行业的增长受到阻碍。该项目将创建一个游戏引擎插件;一个名为VIRP（语音交互，识别和参与）的“中间件”，它将成为所有开发人员与现有AI语音硬件功能的桥梁。这将使沉浸式技术中语音交互的使用民主化，允许其跨行业用于教育，娱乐，培训和连接。在最初的三个月项目周期之外，Extension for Impact资助允许VIRP完成市场路线的关键元素-功能性Unity Plug In的演示。在最初的项目期间内交付的VIRP概念验证演示了独特的语音交互如何导致更大的观众参与。第一季度的影响期延长将使人们对产品有一个清晰的了解，这将使未来的开发人员能够将VIRP纳入未来的创新努力中。

In a world where in-person interaction has been cut off, the opportunities afforded by immersive media to connect, entertain, educate and train people are even more important. Voice interaction takes immersive media to a whole new level, allowing users to speak to, and hear from, virtual characters. In the real world, we remember and are emotionally impacted more by the information we receive from a person. This innovation allows this same experience, giving users the perfect environment in which to connect in a separated world. Currently, however, the technology needed to integrate voice interaction into immersive media is only available to the few project teams working with large budgets, plenty of manpower and generous timescales. It is not available to those building immersive tech as an individual or small developer team, and therefore the immersive media industry's growth is stemmed. This project would see the creation of a game engine plug-in; a piece of 'middleware' called VIRP (Voice Interaction, Recognition and Participation) which would be a bridge to pre-existing AI voice hardware functionality for all developers. This would democratise the use of voice interaction in immersive tech, allowing for its use cross-industry for education, entertainment, training and connection.Beyond the three month original project period, the Extension for Impact funding allows a crucial element of VIRP's route to market to be completed - a presentation of the functional Unity Plug In. Delivered within the scope of the original project period, the VIRP proof of concept demonstrates how unique voice interaction leads to greater audience participation. The Extension for Impact period in Q1 will result in a clear insight into the product that will empower future developers to incorporate VIRP into innovative future endeavours.