Autonomous Virtual Humans Tyler Streeter April 15, 2004

2004 Autonomous Virtual Humans Tyler Streeter Project Overview Goal: To create virtual humans in a 3D environment and give them complete motor control Goal: To create virtual humans in a 3D environment and give them complete motor control

2004 Autonomous Virtual Humans Tyler Streeter Current Technology FarCry, UbiSoft Entertainment

2004 Autonomous Virtual Humans Tyler Streeter Current Technology The Sims 2, Electronic Arts Inc.

2004 Autonomous Virtual Humans Tyler Streeter Current Technology Very limited intelligence Very limited intelligence No low-level motor control No low-level motor control Typically, “finite state machines” are used Typically, “finite state machines” are used –Example:  If in Aggressive State, attack  If in Scared State, run away  If in Idle State, stand still –Use a pre-scripted animation for each state

2004 Autonomous Virtual Humans Tyler Streeter My Approach Create physically-simulated humans (demo) Create physically-simulated humans (demo) Give humans simulated brains (demo) Give humans simulated brains (demo) Train/teach them to perform certain tasks Train/teach them to perform certain tasks

2004 Autonomous Virtual Humans Tyler Streeter Artificial Neural Networks Use computer software or hardware to mimic biological nervous systems Use computer software or hardware to mimic biological nervous systems Useful for things like speech & handwriting recognition Useful for things like speech & handwriting recognition Can also be used to control robots or simulated creatures… Can also be used to control robots or simulated creatures…

2004 Autonomous Virtual Humans Tyler Streeter Training a Neural Network… Use a Genetic Algorithm Use a Genetic Algorithm –Start with a “population” of random neural networks –Evaluate each one on some task (e.g. standing or jumping) –Throw away the bad neural networks –“Mate” the good networks to produce offspring –Randomly mutate the new offspring

2004 Autonomous Virtual Humans Tyler Streeter Demo Videos Standing Video Standing Video Jumping Video Jumping Video

2004 Autonomous Virtual Humans Tyler Streeter Future Work New sensory inputs New sensory inputs –Better sense of touch –Sense of sight –Sense of hearing Robotics Applications Robotics Applications

2004 Autonomous Virtual Humans Tyler Streeter Future Work Try more complex behaviors Try more complex behaviors –Staying balanced when pushed –Walking across uneven terrain –Carrying objects –Jumping over obstacles –Operating virtual machinery –Competitions between virtual humans

2004 Autonomous Virtual Humans Tyler Streeter Questions? Please come to my demo booth upstairs to see more demonstrations and ask questions. Please come to my demo booth upstairs to see more demonstrations and ask questions.