System for neurobehavioural animation
The present invention relates to a computer implemented system for animating a virtual object or digital entity. It has particular relevance to animation using biologically based models, or behavioral models particularly neurobehavioral models. There is provided a plurality of modules having a computational element and a graphical element. The modules are arranged in a required structure and have at least one variable and being associated with at least one connector. The connectors link variables between modules across the structure, and the modules together provide a neurobehavioral model. There is also provided a method of controlling a digital entity in response to an external stimulus.
1. A computer implemented system for animating a virtual character or digital entity, the system including:
a plurality of modules having coupled computational and graphical elements, each module representing a biological process and having a computational element relating to and simulating the biological process and a graphical element visualizing the biological process;
the modules being arranged in a required structure; and
each module having at least one variable representing a property of the module's process;
wherein variables from a module are linked to one or more modules by a least one connector and wherein the connectors link variables between modules across the structure, and the modules, representing collections of neurons and communication systems, and the connectors, representing nerves, together provide a neurobehavioral model with which to animate the virtual character or digital entity.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the modules are arranged in a hierarchical structure.
3. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the hierarchy comprises a tree structure.
4. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the structure is derived from a biological property or biological structure of the virtual character or digital entity.
5. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the structure is derived from an evolutionary neural structure.
6. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one module includes an audial or graphical or visual input and at least one module includes an audial or graphical or visual output.
7. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the graphical element of one or more modules comprises a representation of the computational element.
8. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein a module represents one or more neurons.
9. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein variables from a module may be linked to any of a plurality of modules by a connector.
10. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of the modules is an association module which links inputs and outputs of the module through variable weights.
11. A computer implemented system for generating interactive behavior of a virtual character or digital entity, the system including:
a plurality of modules having coupled computational and graphical elements, each module representing a biological process and having a computational element relating to and simulating the biological process and a graphical element visualizing the biological process;
at least one of the plurality of modules receiving an external stimulus;
at least one of the plurality of modules providing an external output;
at least one of the plurality of modules creating an association between the external stimulus and the external output;
wherein the association affects future system behavior of the virtual character or digital entity such that the external output responds to a change in the external stimulus.
12. The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the association provides the system with a learning behavior.
13. The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein at least one of the modules creates an association between a first internal stimulus and a second internal stimulus or the external output.
14. A computer system operable to control a digital character in response to an external stimulus, the system comprising a network of functional modules of code, the modules having coupled computational and graphical elements, each module representing a biological process and having a computational element relating to and simulating the biological process and a graphical element visualizing the biological process, the network operable to receive data characterizing the stimulus and operable to generate data defining a response for the digital character, wherein the network comprises:
one or more variables for each functional module representing a property of the module's process;
a structure to allow a position of the module to be defined relative to one or more other modules; and
one or more connectors, the one or more variables being associated with at least one connector carrying data between variables of modules, the modules, representing collections of neurons and communication systems and the connectors, representing nerves, together provide a neurobehavioral model;
wherein the connectors are selectively adjustable to connect different modules to thereby change or adjust the behavior of the digital character in response to the external stimulus.
15. A computer programmed or operable to implement the system of claim 1 .
16. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer-usable instructions that, when used by a computing device, causes the computing device to implement the system of claim 1 .
17. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communication systems included one or more communication systems selected from the group consisting of facial expression, body language, vision, hearing and speech.
18. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the collections of neurons included one or more collections of neurons selected from the group consisting of cortex, thalamus, Basal Ganglia and Brain Stem.