hifi-PRINTER · high fidelity Presence and Interaction: convergence of computer graphics, vision and robotics for improving human-robot and human-computer interaction

While interacting with virtual characters in a virtual environment or with a humanoid robot in the real world, several key enabling technologies are needed for the “suspension of disbelief” or feeling of presence (“being there”) and natural communication between the real user and the virtual or robotic equivalent. The aim of this project is the convergence of the most essential high-fidelity presence and interaction computer graphics and vision enabling technologies for improving human-computer and human-robot interaction in virtual as well as augmented reality environments, involving novel virtual characters and humanoids.On one hand, based on the extensive prior research experience of the fellow in computer graphics and real-time virtual character simulation technologies (realistic rendering, natural animation, and believable face & body simulation), a novel mathematical unified framework will be researched in this project as one key enabling technology in human-computer interaction.One the other hand, the ability of virtual characters or humanoids to visually perceive and understand articulated human motion (be that gestures, actions, expressions, etc) and to appropriately react or imitate this motion depending on the requirements of the specific task at hand is another key enabling technology in which the fellow will be trained explicitly by the host FORTH-CVRLab in this project. So far the fellow has been utilizing extensively such vision-based techniques in his research career, but most often as “black-boxes” without having being formally introduced to their intrinsic characteristics, as he has being rather focusing on graphics and presence research. The host in this project will expose directly the fellow in the latest vision and robotics technologies and also empower him to directly implement them via the new unified framework in both robotic humanoids as well as ambient intelligent virtual characters.