Photoreal, Interactive 3D Characters Promise to Revolutionize Online
Communication
LOS ANGELES, SIGGRAPH, Aug. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Pulse(TM), the leader in 3D
animation and rich media for the Web, today unveiled a "virtual personality
technology suite" adjunct to its Pulse Animation Studio software that enables
the easy creation of "virtual clones" -- in minutes and without any authoring
expertise required. Being demonstrated in booth #1025 at SIGGRAPH this week,
the technology facilitates creation of photoreal, 3D characters capable of
interacting with Internet users in myriad ways across a broad range of
applications. Using new text-to-speech and automatic lip-synching
functionality in conjunction with simple yet robust digital image capture and
conversion technologies, Pulse now offers the ability to build engaging
virtual counterparts to real and fictitious characters and people in less than
5 minutes, versus the hours or days previously required.
"When it comes to communicating via the Internet, most forms of
correspondence are still text-based, with a sprinkling of two-dimensional
graphics," said Mark Yahiro, president of Pulse. "From email and instant
messaging to public and private Web sites, virtual characters will breathe new
life into the gamut of staid, static communications, thus fulfilling one of
the promises of digital communication. When you visit a Web site or read an
email or instant message, what's universally absent is personality. We're
delivering that key missing ingredient."
"Realistic-looking personal avatars have long been an important goal for
digital communication and creative expression," said Professor Henry Jenkins
III, director of Comparative Media Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology. "New technologies in this area are particularly appealing to
teens, for whom online correspondence and interaction are already commonplace
and new technology enhances fun and their ability to experiment with notions
of identity and community. New users may soon be able to re-imagine themselves
in a variety of virtual spaces, which opens new potentials for not only
communication but personal storytelling and creativity."
The virtual personality technology offers a range of competitive
advantages including superior ease of authoring, expressiveness of virtual
models and high visual quality. But it's the speed with which such characters
and clones can be built that truly distinguishes the Pulse solution. At
SIGGRAPH 2001 this week, Pulse is demonstrating the ability to take a single
2D photo of a human face, convert it to a photoreal 3D model, use
text-to-speech or direct audio input along with automatic lip-synching, and
produce a fully-functional virtual clone in less than 5 minutes.
Web-based applications for the virtual personality technology run the
gamut from email and instant messaging (IM) to e-learning/training modules,
medical visualization and instruction, entertainment, e-commerce and
marketing/advertising. In particular, electronic correspondence represents a
large existing market; according to industry research firm Gartner Group, more
than 10 billion emails will be sent each day by the end of 2001. Further, over
half of all consumers and businesses already have instant-messaging
capabilities, and that number is expected to grow dramatically.
Internet access and web hosting service providers are a prime target for
the virtual personality technology, in that they can quickly and easily offer
their subscribers the ability to create and consume email and IM missives via
virtual clones of themselves, or even licensed celebrities and other
characters. Virtual characters, from CEOs to pets and rock stars, are expected
to become popular as "hosts" of both professional and personal Web sites,
greeting site visitors and perhaps escorting them from one area of a site to
another, answering various questions (posed via text or verbal entry), and
more.
The virtual personality technology is available now in an advanced Alpha
version; contact Pulse for pricing.
About Pulse Entertainment
Based in San Francisco, Pulse is a privately funded developer of the
leading technology for creating and experiencing interactive, 3D animation and
audio on the web, with significant investment from Softbank, TimeWarner,
Autodesk and El Dorado Ventures. Pulse, which was named a Red Herring Top
50 Private Company, specializes in providing rich media enterprise solutions
for digital content creation for online learning, service and support,
e-commerce, marketing and advertising, and entertainment. The company's
growing client base and strategic partner list includes Apple, AMD, Anheuser
Busch, Mattel, Volvo, Intel, Microsoft, Real Networks, MTV, 3dfx, Motorola,
The Jim Henson Company, Electronic Arts, NBC, Excite@Home and AOL/Time Warner.
Pulse Entertainment is located at 654 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105,
415-348-4000, or http://www.pulse3d.com.
NOTE: PULSE, the PULSE logo, and PULSE ENTERTAINMENT are trademarks of
Pulse Entertainment, Inc. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are
the property of their respective owners, without intent to infringe.
SOURCE Pulse Entertainment, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.pulse3d.com
CONTACT:
Garth Chouteau of Pulse Entertainment, Inc.,
+1-415-348-4027, or garth@pulse3d.com
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