Voice Interaction, Recognition and Participation (VIRP)

在一个面对面互动已经被切断的世界里，沉浸式媒体提供的联系、娱乐、教育和培训人们的机会变得更加重要。语音交互将身临其境的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聆听。在现实世界中，我们会更多地记住从一个人那里得到的信息，并在情感上受到更多的影响。这一创新实现了同样的体验，为用户提供了一个完美的环境，让他们在一个独立的世界中进行连接。然而，目前，将语音交互整合到沉浸式媒体中所需的技术只有少数几个项目团队才能使用，这些团队的预算很大，人力充足，时间跨度也很大。对于那些构建沉浸式技术的人来说，作为个人或小型开发团队是不可用的，因此沉浸式媒体行业的增长受到了阻碍。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通向预先存在的AI语音硬件功能的桥梁。这将使语音交互在身临其境的技术中的使用大众化，使其能够跨行业用于教育、娱乐、培训和连接。在最初的三个月项目期之后，Impact资金的延期使VIRP进入市场的一个关键要素得以完成-展示功能统一插件。在最初的项目期内交付的VIRP概念验证演示了独特的语音交互如何带来更大的受众参与度。第一季度影响期限的延长将导致对该产品的清晰洞察，这将使未来的开发人员能够将VIRP纳入创新的未来努力中。

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.