Virtual characters that appear almost photo-realistic have been shown to induce negative responses from viewers in traditional media, such as film and video games. This effect, described the uncanny valley, is reason why realism often avoided when aim create an appealing virtual character. In Reality, there few attempts investigate this phenomenon implications of rendering with high levels on user enjoyment. paper, we conducted a large-scale experiment over one thousand members public order...

Virtual characters contribute strongly to the entire visuals of 3D animated films. However, designing believable remains a challenging task. Artists rely on stylization increase appeal or expressivity, exaggerating softening specific features. In this paper we analyze two most influential factors that define how character looks: shape and material. With help artists, design set carefully crafted stimuli consisting different levels for both parameters, combinations affect perceived realism,...

In this paper, we investigate the effect of a realism mismatch in voice and appearance photorealistic virtual character both immersive screen-mediated contexts. While many studies have investigated attributes for robots, not much is known about naturalness has on perception realistic characters. We conducted first experiment Virtual Reality (VR) with over two hundred participants investigating between unrealistic feeling presence, emotional response user to expressing strong negative...

In recent years, the quality of real-time rendering has reached new heights—realistic reflections, physically based materials, and photometric lighting are all becoming commonplace in modern game engines even interactive virtual environments, such as reality (VR). As strive for realism continues, there is a need to investigate effect photorealism on users’ perception, particularly interactive, emotional scenarios VR. this article, we explored three main topics, where predicted will make...

In human interaction, people will keep different distances from each other depending on their gender. For example, males stand further away and closer to females. Previous studies in virtual reality (VR), where were interacting with humans, showed a similar result. However, many variables influence proximity, such as appearance characteristics of the character (e.g., attractiveness). Our study focuses proximity walkers, gender could be recognised motion only, since previous using point-light...

Delivering appealing virtual characters conveying personality is becoming extremely important in the entertainment industry and beyond. A theory called 'Uncanny Valley' has been used to describe phenomenon that appearance of a character can contribute negative/positive audience reactions [Mori 1970]. Since style render strongly changes appearance, we investigate whether difference indirectly influence reaction, which measure based on perception personality. Based psychology research, first...

Recent advances in rendering and data-driven animation have enabled the creation of compelling characters with impressive levels realism. While techniques can produce animations that are extremely faithful to original motion, many challenging problems remain because high complexity human motion. A better understanding factors make motion recognizable appealing would be great value industries where creating a variety virtual realistic is required. To investigate these issues, we captured...

In recent years, there has been much research and media attention devoted to investigating virtual reality environments. this paper, we are if differences in how characters perceived immersive as opposed more common, screen-based We were particularly interested the spatial components play an important part perception of interactive, game-like settings, where can either be controlled (avatars) or observed (agents). focus on subjective reports realism, affinity, co-presence agency. Since...

Graphical realism and the naturalness of voice used are important aspects to consider when designing a virtual agent or character.In this work, we evaluate how synthetic speech impacts people's perceptions rendered character.Using controlled experiment, focus on role that speech, in particular expressiveness form personality, has assessment level character perceptions.We found people rated real human as more expressive, understandable likeable than expressive developed.Contrary our...

This course will introduce students, researchers and digital artists to the recent results in perceptual research on virtual characters. It covers both how technical artistic aspects that constitute appearance of a character influence human perception. We report studies addressed low-level cues like facial proportions, shading or level detail higher-level such as behavior stylization. place emphasis are encountered during development, animation, achieving consistency between visuals...

Photorealism of virtual characters and environments is becoming more achievable in Virtual Reality (VR). With this development comes the need for further investigation into role it plays on people's responses to characters. Whether or not these improvements make any difference perception response towards character was central question present study. In order evaluate this, we designed a within-subjects experiment, where participants were embodied high-fidelity body VR observing an animated...

Lighting has been used to enhance emotion and appeal of characters for centuries, from paintings in the Renaissance modern-day digital arts. In VFX animation studios, lighting is considered as important modelling, shading, or rigging. Most existing work focuses on either empirical best-practice created by artists centuries perception with basic shapes. contrast, our effect emotional characters. Our study presents an extensive set novel perceptual experiments designed investigate effects...

OPINION article Front. Psychol., 04 October 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.705448

Abstract The real‐time simulation of human crowds has many applications. In a typical crowd simulation, each person ('agent') in the moves towards goal while adhering to local constraints. Many algorithms exist for specific ‘steering’ tasks such as collision avoidance or group behavior. However, these do not easily extend completely new types behavior, circling around another agent hiding behind an obstacle. They also tend focus purely on agent's velocity without explicitly controlling its...

In this article, we investigate the perception of gender from motion virtual humans under different emotional conditions and explore effect bias on (e.g., anger being attributed to males more than females). As types can present levels physiological cues, also how two (walking conversations) are affected by bias. Walking typically displays cues about hip sway) therefore is expected be less To these effects, used a corpus captured facial body motions four male female actors, performing basic...

In this paper, we conducted a perceptual experiment to determine if specific personality traits can be portrayed through eye and head movement in the absence of other facial animation cues. We created collection motions captured from three female actors portraying different personalities, while listening instructional videos. between-groups experiment, tested perception on realistic model cartoon stylisation order positively influence perceived or is more easily identified face. Our results...

In this paper, we investigate the ability of humans to determine gender conversing characters, based on facial and body cues for emotion. We used a corpus simultaneously captured motions from four male female actors. our Gender Rating task, participants were asked rate how or they considered be, under different emotional states. Emotion Recognition classify emotions, in order accurately perceived those emotions were. found that perception was affected by emotion, where certain facilitated...

Blendshape facial rigs are used extensively in the industry for animation of virtual humans. However, storing and manipulating large numbers meshes (blendshapes) is costly terms memory computation gaming applications. comprised sets semantically-meaningful expressions, which govern how expressive character will be, often based on Action Units from Facial Coding System (FACS). relative perceptual importance blendshapes has not yet been investigated. Research Psychology Neuroscience shown that...

Nonverbal communication is paramount in daily life, as well populated virtual reality (VR) environments. In this paper, we focused on gaze behaviour, which key to initiate and drive social interactions. Previous work photographs agents showed the importance of gaze, even presence multiple stimuli, by demonstrating stare-in-the-crowd effect: humans detect faster observe gazes directed towards them longer than averted ones. While previous studies static scenarios, fail representing complexity...

In this paper, we investigate the effect of a realism mismatch in voice and appearance photorealistic virtual character reality. While many studies have investigated attributes for robots, not much is known about naturalness has on perception realistic characters. We conducted an experiment Virtual Reality (VR) with over two hundred participants investigating between unrealistic feeling presence, emotional response user to expressing strong negative emotion (sadness, guilt). predicted that...

Abstract Generating realistic animated virtual humans is a problem that has been extensively studied with many applications in different types of environments. However, the creation process such animations challenging, especially because number and variety influencing factors, should then be identified evaluated. In this paper, we attempt to provide clearer understanding how multiple factors have literature impact level realism humans, by providing survey studies assessing their realism....

Nonverbal cues are paramount in real-world interactions. Among these cues, gaze has received much attention the literature. In particular, previous work shown a search asymmetry between directed and averted towards observer using photographic stimuli, with faster detection longer fixation by observer. This is known as stare-in-the-crowd effect. this study, we investigate whether stare-in-the crowd effect preserved Virtual Reality (VR). To end, designed within-subject experiment where 30...

Blendshape facial rigs are used extensively in the industry for animation of virtual humans. However, storing and manipulating large numbers meshes is costly terms memory computation gaming applications, yet relative perceptual importance blendshapes has not been investigated. Research Psychology Neuroscience shown that our brains process faces differently than other objects, so we postulate perception expressions will be feature-dependent rather based purely on amount movement required to...