Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/552848
52 cgw j u ly . a u g u s t 2 0 1 5 companies isn't going to get us there; studying this field in a more collaborative way just might. What are some of the technical challenges you face? Getting a good, solid dataset and defining what is correct and what isn't are both very important. The problem with the Uncanny Valley is that we generally know when some- thing is wrong but don't know what that something is. If we are able to scientifically determine what parts of the equation are right, we need to reduce the variables that we have to change. Do you have a timeline in mind for achieving various goals? We set goals, but we have an understanding that this will always be a work in progress. What are some of the big technical achievements that have gotten us to this point in time in regard to digital humans? The history of digital humans is really about making the most of what you have. A new technology will emerge, and artists will push it to its limits. Improvements are made until a new tool is released, and then we start seeing even more advancements. For instance, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was possible be- cause a certain type of modeling became available to artists at the time that let them attempt something others couldn't do before. Today, scanning technol- ogy at places like ICT is allowing us to add more detail than ever before to digital models, specifi- cally down to 10 microns. Advances in motion-cap- ture systems, facial animation, subtle animation such as sticky lips, blood flow design, and the dynamics of hair have also played a big role in helping art- ists advance their cra. There are a lot of artists who have now been studying and applying knowledge around digital hu- mans for a long time, too. Digital humans created from stills today, for instance, are miles ahead of where they were just a few years ago. What have been some of the sticking points to date? If a trained visual effects artist sees a bad VFX shot, he or she will immediately know what's wrong with it and why it's bad. The general population can see the same shot, and most times they'll think it looks fine. For digi- tal humans, however, everyone knows that something is wrong, but no one knows what it is. That's the challenge. What is currently missing in order for us to cross the Uncanny Valley? The truth is, no one really knows, and that's part of what we are trying to find out. The Uncanny Valley has become such a powerful way to describe the negative reaction that people feel when something is 'almost human,' but not human enough. When I first told people I wanted to form a group that tackles the issues around digital humans, many reacted with the sense of repulsion. That is how strong the emotional response is and why people would rather avoid the subject completely than face the challenges. One of the main issues with creating a digital human is that, because of the strong emo- tional response based on the Uncanny Valley effect, people oen act and react emotionally instead of analytically. Those actions and reactions are oen extreme, which makes it very hard to hit the mark. Which areas (face, lips, eyes) present the biggest hurdles? We honestly don't know yet. If I look at a digital human shot that wasn't successful, I will oen see something different in terms of what's wrong than another artist would. Part of this process will be determining how important individual features are and what makes them im- portant. Is it more detail that's needed? Where? Why? These questions lie at the core of Wikihuman and what we want to achieve. What is your vision for digital humans in the future? I'm a lot more interested in learning what makes someone look human and how our brains compute that, than in bringing back dead actors. Mike Sey- mour and Mark Sagar are also doing fascinating work in which they are using digital humans to build better interfaces for human-to-computer inter- actions. The way this subject advances artificial intelligence is something I gravitate toward, as well. Has the surge in holographic characters impacted the interest in digital human technology? I think people are more interest- ed in the idea of bringing a dead person back to life than the technology itself. It should also be noted that DHL is actively discussing the ethics around digital humans. Is it right to bring a person back to life or to impersonate a person? The latter presents a particularly thorny problem in that, if technology advances to a certain point, you could make someone say or appear to do something they never did. As we advance the art, it's going to be important to think about these things and act responsibly. ■ WIKIHUMAN WORK INCLUDES EXPLORATION OF A DIGITAL PAUL (DEBEVEC) SCULPT BY MATHIEU AERNI, DHL MEMBER.