A placeholder image of A synthetic Human avatar

SYNTHETIC HUMANS
- Cross Platform avatars -

A selection of bespoke, realistic, human avatars built from scans of real people.

Introduction

We are here to achieve your goals. From the outset we will provide you and your business with a complete service second to none. We will take an avatar concept and make it a reality, and if you don't have a concept; we can help you create one.

A bespoke, realistic, human avatar built from scans of a real person. Displaying a blend from wireframe to textured

Production

Based in the Southwest of the United Kingdom we use high-end production software and a bespoke scanning rig to design, model, rig and animate 3D human avatars, for consistent delivery across multiple platforms.

A diagram representing how a synthetic human avatar connects with conversational AI systems

Function

Sitting client side, Synthetic Humans act as a point of empathy for visitors to your conversational AI. Powered by javascript, with triggerable emotes and lip-synch capability, they bring an extra element of humanity to conversational systems.


MEET THE SYNTHS
- Realistic Human Avatars for purchase or licence -

- No need to upgrade servers -

Synthetic Humans are designed and built to work from any server. The javascript driven avatar operates client side with quality fully independent of hardware.

Tui, a realistic, human avatar built from scans of real people.

- Leasable options -

A selection of Synthetic Human avatars are available for lease as an 'off the shelf' alternative to a fully bespoke build

Nia, a realistic, human avatar built from scans of real people.

- Triggerable emotions -

Synthetic Humans can display a variety of emotions drawn from real performances.

Yui, a realistic, human avatar built from scans of real people.

- Real-time TTS driven lyp-synching -

Synthetic Humans are built with lyp-synch functionality that is driven by viseme meta data from real time TTS services.

Nadia, a realistic, human avatar built from scans of real people.

- Built to work with any conversational A.I. -

Synthetic Humans are built with over a dozen emotions ( for example: disgust, excited, angry, relief, happy and pride) that can be triggered by a simple javascript function call.

Zevi, a realistic, human avatar built from scans of real people.

- One quality over all platforms -

Synthetic Humans are pre-rendered. This means that their quality and level of realism is persistent over all delivery platforms and not influenced by end user hardware.



AVATAR PRODUCTION
- How Synthetic Humans Are Built -


A bespoke camera rig built specifically for the capture images of human subjects for use in photogrammetry

- Step 1: 'The Italian Speedboat' -

Synthetic Humans adopt the latest in 3D modelling and rendering techniques in order to provide the highest levels of realism. Each synthetic human build starts with the selection of model to be scanned for the production process.The chosen talent is scanned using a custom built multi camera rig designed specifically for scanning human heads. Dubbed 'The Italian Speedboat' due to it's construction from laminated wood and aluminium, this multi-camera rig is custom built specifically to focus on capturing multiple portrait images simultaneously and also to be portable enough to enable flexibility in the shoot process. Using canon DSLR cameras (18mpx for the main facial detail and 10mpx for more general detail) up to 72 images are captured for a neutral scan (whole head) and 24 images for any supporting FACS based scans.

- Step 2: From scan to model -

The elements derived from the scanning process from raw scan,wrinkles and pores to texture.

The resulting scanned images are then used to create both meshes and textures for the final Synthetic Human.The images captured with the 'Italian speedboat' camera rig are then used to create accurate lifelike 3D models, From skin pores, wrinkles and skin tone through to individual FACS based blend targets for animation.

- Step 3: Rigging for animation -

68 3D sculpts showing the variety of FAC based poses used for the animation of the synthetic human avatar drawn from the scanning process

The Synthetic Human is then rigged for animation making use of FACS derived blend shapes and supporting textures.Over 60 blend shapes are then taken from the scanned subject and wired into the neutral scan to enable animation of the face. Along with the physical changes to the face; changes in skin tone, fine wrinkles and deformations are also captured and used to enhance the realsim of the animation.

- Step 4: Animation from Performance Capture -

A screenshot taken during the analysis stage of performance capture using Faceware software.

Animation is drawn from performance capture taken at the same time as the scan.Using high end video performance analysing software (used for AAA game and blockbuster movie production) realistic and lifelike emotion and movement is captured from actual performances and applied to the Synthetic Humans to bring them to life. Once the animation is applied the Synthetic Human is then rendered for integration into the cross platform player.


FUNCTIONALITY
- How Synthetic Humans Work -


An overview of the placement of synthetic human avatars with regards to an A.I. conversational system and real-time text to speech server.

- The Neutral/Idle -

still images showing synthetic human avatars in neutral poses.

To breathe life into the Synthetic Humans they have an idle animation called 'neutral'. The neutral is randomly drawn from a number of discreet 'idle' animations covering actions such as blinks, subtle head movements and subtle facial movemements. Through over a decade of extensive research, practice and experience, the Synthetic Humans 'neutral' cycles have been polished to create a natural look without awkward movements or repetitiveness to break audience empathy.

- Triggerable Emotes -

Some of the triggerable emotes that can be displayed by a synthetic human avatar.

Synthetic Humans are built with a selection of trigger-able emotive responses such as happy, sad, confused, excited and guilt. Each emotion is taken from performance capture enabling true to character believable emotes. As each Synthetic Human is unique the available emotes can be tailored and expanded on to suit each individual clients needs.

- Lip synch -

Text to speech is served by making use of visemes rather than phonemes.This image shows the viseme blend shapes for a synthetic human avatar.

Utilising 15 viseme blend shapes scanned from the talent, realtime lip synch can be delivered to compliment 3rd party TTS services. The triggering of viseme shapes is drawn from the 3rd party service providers meta data for phonetic breakdown.


HTML5 player: Socrates

1. Sequence based randomised neutral animation.
2. Triggerable emotion sequences drawn from performance capture.

HTML5 player: Plato

1. Sequence based randomised neutral animation.
2. Triggerable emotion sequences drawn from performance capture.
3. Triggerable visemes for lip synch functionality.


CLIENTS


Client logos

- Past Projects and avatar builds -

Jonis one of the first synthetic humans, presented by Artelli 42 as the face for a conversational A.I. system.

Artelli 42

Jon is one of the faces for artelli 42's 'Human Behavioural Emulation System'.

Rachel the first synthetic human, built to run in realtime webgl and presented by Artelli 42 as the face for a conversational A.I. system.

Artelli 42

Rachel was built to run in a webgl based player to serve as a face for a training system in the field of medicine

Rich one of the first synthetic humans adopted as the face for a conversational A.I. system by Elzware.

Elzware

Rich was built from a bespoke scan and serves as the avatar for Elzware's conversational A.I.

The avatar created for Hewlett Packard Enterprises to support their launch.

Hewlett Packard Enterprises

A Bespoke 3D avatar acting as their online virtual assistant for the launch of their rebranding.

The avatar created for Tesco Mobile to front one of Creative Virtuals conversational A.I. systems

Tesco Mobile

A Bespoke 3D avatar for Tesco Mobile's online virtual assistant to compliment a conversational A.I. system provided by Creative Virtual.

M&S Money's online virtual assistant

M&S Money

A Bespoke 3D avatar for M&S Money's online virtual assistant to compliment a conversational A.I. system provided by Creative Virtual.

Atlas Consortium's internal virtual assistant

Atlas Consortium

A Bespoke 3D avatar for Atlas Consortium's internal virtual assistant to compliment a conversational A.I. system provided by Creative Virtual.

The blob is a fully animated avatar designed to help bring fun to a conversational A.I. system to suppport learning.

Elzware

Flagshipp designed and delivered a fully animated character for the Elzware 'TeachBot'.

Avatars built to be used in Altadyn's javascipt based online 3D meeting place.

Altadyn

Flagshipp delivered fully animated characters for Altadyns' realtime '3Dmeet' software.

The avatars created for O2 to front one of Creative Virtuals conversational A.I. systems

O2

A selection of Bespoke 3D avatar for O2's online 'Guru's' built to compliment a conversational A.I. system provided by Creative Virtual.

The avatars created for O2 to front a conversational A.I. system

HSBC Bank

A selection of bespoke 3D avatars built for HSBC Hong Kong to act as their online virtual assistants.

The avatar created for DBS Singapore to front a conversational A.I. system

DBS Singapore

A Bespoke 3D avatar built to act as their online and offline virtual customer services.

The avatar created for Allianz to front a conversational A.I. system

Allianz

A Bespoke 3D avatar for Allianz to use as their online virtual assistant.

The avatar created for TalkTalk Mobile to front a conversational A.I. system

TalkTalk Mobile

A Bespoke 3D avatar for TalkTalk Mobile to use as their online virtual assistant.

The avatar created for VirginMedia to front a conversational A.I. system

Virgin Media

A Bespoke 3D avatar for Virgin Media designed on an 'employee of the month' to use as their online virtual assistant.

The avatar created for Renault to front a conversational A.I. system

Renault 'Twingo'

A Bespoke 3D avatar for Renault to use as their online virtual assistant for the launch of the 'Twingo' range of cars.

The avatar created for On The Beach to front a conversational A.I. system

On The Beach

A Bespoke 3D avatar for On the Beach to use as their online virtual assistant.

The avatar created for Photobox as part of their marketing.

Photobox

A Bespoke 3D avatar Photobox to use as part of their online marketing.


CONTACT

- For any further information or to arrange a demo please contact us -

The blob, an avatar built for Elzware to front their teaching based conversational A.I.

Flagshipp Animation

United Kingdom