Content of research

Since conventional avatar-based communication systems are based on one-to-one communication, it is difficult to recognize the position and posture information of each physical person participating in a communication field of three or more people where virtual and real worlds are mixed, and to control the behavior of individual avatars accordingly, while maintaining the integrity of the entire field.
In this research, we have developed an AR communication system that shares the position and posture information of physical people (e.g., smartphone terminals) participating in a communication field through recognition of a common AR target and network linkage between terminals, and reflects this information in the behavior of avatars visible from each terminal. The avatars know who and where the participants are in the communication field, and the avatar changing its pose following the movements on one participant's terminal can be seen by other participants from their own viewpoints.

Potential for social implementation

• ・Teleconferencing systems, telepresence
• ・Group cooperative learning
• ・Sightseeing spot guide, pop advertisement
• ・Amusement, online games

Appealing points to industry and local governments

The Advanced Network Laboratory pursues the possibilities of the near-future society opened up by ICT through empirical research on augmented reality applications by applying computer networks and computer graphics, which form the foundation of the mobile and ubiquitous information society.