Natural Language Implementation for Virtual Humans

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Sheridan College proposes to partner with SEED Interactive, a leading interactive digital media content producer, to help them achieve breakthrough delivery of solutions within human-virtual human interaction. The project will centre on research and development into verbal interactions within a variety of media delivery platforms including virtual and augmented reality and commercial game engines. The goal is to enhance the believability and realism of these interactions and the user experience as a whole. Virtual humans (VHs) are computer-generated characters that exhibit human-like qualities and communicate using natural human modalities including facial expressions, speech and gesture. The potential for dramatic growth in the commercial application of VHs is being enabled by developments in two significant areas of predicted international market growth over the next five years: virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence. Commercialization opportunities exist within media and entertainment; training and simulation across all sectors; and supplementary support for human-to-human provision of services in areas such as healthcare, aging in place, and education. At the present time, however, research and commercialization is hampered by a variety of factors including the complexity of the technologies required within an end-to-end solution. The project will enable a team of Sheridan researchers from the digital arts, computer sciences, and social sciences to work together with an industry partner and university collaborators to develop solutions that benefit the company while having secondary benefit throughout multiple Canadian economic and social welfare sectors. The project will leverage the college's research and development strengths in real-time animation, virtual and augmented reality, mobile computing, gaming, machine learning, and elder research. It will contribute to the development of a globally significant research cluster on Virtual Humans being established with concurrent two-year funding from the Ontario Centres of Excellence.