AI 162 EKI One ai middleware now launched for avatar behaviour for authentic character simulation

Germany-based middleware developer Artificial Technology has released the first version of its AI and emotional intelligence middleware solution - EKI One - across Europe, with free trials being made available. We covered this as emergent technology before – please refer to AI 51.

EKI One 1.0 is designed to bolt onto existing game engines and aims to add depth to titles by giving developers an effective, affordable solution to AI and emotion.
"With EKI One 1.0, we proudly present a software solution that allows game and level designers, script designers and programmers to define character behaviour efficiently and with ease from cognition and movement characteristics to intelligent decision-making," said Serein Pfeiffer, technical director and co-founder of Artificial Technology GmbH.

"The specifications and requests we received from our developer partners have had a direct bearing on the development of EKI One 1.0. We have combined ease of use with the technological depth required for authentic character simulation in a single, well-rounded package."

This is commercially ahead of the work being done by The University of the Balearic Islands (refer to AI 161).

AI 161 Smart responsive facial expressions for avatars in 3d web and virtual worlds has been developed

The University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) has developed a computer application that enables the generation of faces that includes emotions and moods.

The study has been published in the latest edition of the magazine Computer Animation and Virtual Worlds.

“The aim of this work has been to design a model that reveals a person's moods and displays them on a virtual face”, SINC was informed by one of the authors of the study, Diana Arellano, from the UIB’s Computer and Artificial Intelligence Graphics and Vision Unit. “In the same 3-D space we have integrated personality, emotions and moods, which had previously been dealt with separately”, Arellano explained to SINC.

The designers have followed the theories of Albert Mehrabian to draw up the model, based on the five personality traits established by this American psychologist:

• Extraversion

• Neuroticism

• Openness

• Conscientiousness

• Agreeableness


“Every personality can be considered an emotional state by default”, indicated Arellano.

An introverted and neurotic personality is therefore related to an anxious emotional state.

The points of the face that define these emotions can be determined mathematically, and the algorithms developed by computer experts can be used to obtain different facial expressions “quickly and easily”.

The system, which uses the MPEG-4 video coding standard for creating images, makes it possible to display basic emotions (anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, surprise) and intermediate situations.

“Our next step is to leave the MPEG-4 standard aside and concentrate on a high-quality generic network which will enable the inclusion of both wrinkles and eye, eyelid and head movements, as well as synthesize the voice”, the researcher concluded.