Presentation on Non-Verbal Communication for Expressie Avatars at Collaborative Virtual Environments 2000, San Francisco, CA, USA.

1. Designing a Non-Verbal Language for
Expressive Avatars
Ben Salem Nic Earle
Sheffield Hallam University University of Plymouth
electronote@mail.com nic_earle@postmaster.co.uk

2. Introduction
• CVEs should exploit the possibilities of online
3D graphical spaces.
• To achieve an efficient CVE there is a need
for a multimodal UI through avatars.
• Communicative avatars need to be visually
expressive.
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

3. The Role of Avatars
• Essentially to represent a participant’s
presence, orientation and location, and to a
lesser degree state.
• We propose to extend this to encompass the
following:
– better personalisation and status.
– Personal expressions and emotions.
– Better group communication.
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

4. Issues to be addressed
• We wish to address these important issues :
– Personal Identity of the participants.
• Gender, interests, status, accessibility
– communication from one to one as well as
within a group.
– Participants discourses in a CVE.
• Communication channels
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

5. Interaction in Existing
CVEs
• There are usually two separate modes of operation
in current CVEs :
– Controlling the avatar
– Typing on the keyboard or speaking with a micro-
phone.
• CVEs have a separate window for the textual and
some gestural dialogues.
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

6. Screen shot of Active Worlds Alpha World, www.activeworlds.com

7. Current Avatars
• Wide range of avatar available
– humanoid, cartoon characters, free forms…
• Limited and often non-expressive gestures
and expressions
– jump, smile, wave, turn around, dance
• What is the best form of NVC
– Body postures, Facial expressions, gestures,
gaze, lip movements, etc.
• participants perception of other’s expressions
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

8. Simple Expressions
Blink Smile Upset
Bye Bye Smile & Blind
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

9. Simple Expressions
Blink Smile Upset
Bye Bye Smile & Blind
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

10. Simple Expressions
Blink Smile Upset
Bye Bye Smile & Blind
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

11. Simple Expressions
Blink Smile Upset
Bye Bye Smile & Blind
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

12. Simple Expressions
Blink Smile Upset
Bye Bye Smile & Blind
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

13. Simple Expressions
Blink Smile Upset
Bye Bye Smile & Blind
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

14. Addressing The Issues
In order to develop a multi-modal communication
within CVEs we need to:
• Define a set of useful expressions for avatars
• Integrate the different channels of communication
i.e. text, audio, spatial language and body
language
• Develop a better method of Interfacing with an
avatars visual behaviours
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

15. Useful Expressions
We propose that an avatars body language is
developed to support the following:
• Indicate the state of the avatar owner using
body posture e.g. available for conversation or
not, and is avatar an agent or human.
• Compliment discourse using hand gestures
and face expression.
• Support social interaction using spatial
behaviour, hand gestures & face expressions.
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

16. Complimenting Discourse
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

17. Social Interaction
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

18. Integrating Various Channels
Problem
In existing CVEs other group members avatars are
scattered around the environment and the different
channels of communication are separated i.e. spatial
behavior, text, audio, gestures and face expressions.
Solution
We have developed a concept we call a conversation
circle. Circles gather group members avatars together
so that each group member is in full view. This provides
a framework for the different channels of communication
to be brought into a single space.
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

19. Ben Circle Features
I will not show • Gathers up to six avatars together and places them in full view of
this slide, each other
however this is • Circles are expandable and spatially, there is position of
dominance (Avatars are positioned autonomously )
what I will talk • A circle is created by a participant clicking on another who
about when I accepts conversation offer
• An Avatar is locked onto circle circumference until participant
show the next leaves group
slide I.e. image • A central light creates illuminates faces, creates shadows which
define the groups space
• Multiple circles can exist simultaneously
• The groups space is out of bounds to outsiders
• Circles can be private, semi-private or public
• Group behavior e.g. looking for newcomer I.e. gap in perimeter
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

20. Interfacing With Avatar
Problem
Activating gestures and emotions from pop up
menus and tool bars is inadequate due to the
conscious action required to be taken by a
participant.
Solution
We propose an autonomous system where text/
audio messages are scanned scan for keywords,
names and symbols.
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

21. Some Examples…..
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco

22. Additional Features
• Detection of names within messages is used to control
avatar gaze direction towards recipient. No name
detected fixes gaze
• In textual systems a priority system exists for messages
that contain more than one trigger. In audio systems
triggers attached to phonemes
• Participants must be able to control the autonomy i.e.
turn on and off, customize keywords
• Mood/emotion set using contextual menu called by by
clicking on own avatar
Designing a Non-Verbal Language for Expressive Avatars, CVE2000 San Francisco