Contextual-based rendering of virtual avatars
Examples of systems and methods for rendering an avatar in a mixed reality environment are disclosed. The systems and methods may be configured to automatically scale an avatar or to render an avatar based on a determined intention of a user, an interesting impulse, environmental stimuli, or user saccade points. The disclosed systems and methods may apply discomfort curves when rendering an avatar. The disclosed systems and methods may provide a more realistic interaction between a human user and an avatar.
1. A system for driving animation of a virtual avatar using a discomfort curve, the system comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to store:
an orientation of a first body part of a virtual avatar with respect to an adjacent second body part of the virtual avatar; and
at least one discomfort curve governing motion of the first body part with respect to the adjacent second body part of the virtual avatar, wherein each of the at least one discomfort curves is associated with a mood of the virtual avatar and comprises a mapping of discomfort levels associated with a relationship of the first body part and the adjacent second body part of the virtual avatar; and
a hardware processor programmed to:
determine an orientation of the first body part of the virtual avatar with respect to the adjacent second body part of the virtual avatar;
determine a mood of the virtual avatar;
access a discomfort curve associated with the determined mood of the virtual avatar governing motion of the first body part with respect to the adjacent second body part;
drive an animation of the first body part of the virtual avatar at least in part according to the at least one discomfort curve; and
in response to a magnitude of a discomfort level of the at least one discomfort curve passing a first threshold value, drive an animation of the adjacent second body part of the virtual avatar based at least in part according to the at least one discomfort curve.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein to drive the animation of the first body part or the adjacent second body part, the hardware processor is programmed to reduce or minimize a value returned from the discomfort curve.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein to drive the animation of the first body part or the adjacent second body part, the hardware processor is programmed to keep a value returned from the discomfort curve below a second threshold value.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is programmed to:
deconstruct the orientation of the first body part with respect to the adjacent second body part into a horizontal angle component or a vertical angle component; and
drive the animation with respect to the adjacent second body part based at least partly on at least one of the horizontal angle component or the vertical angle component.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein to drive the animation of the first body part or the adjacent second body part, the hardware processor is further programmed to:
turn the first body part or the adjacent second body part such that the first body part is at the orientation with respect to the adjacent second body part;
determine a discomfort level after a duration of time based at least partly on the discomfort curve; and
in response to a determination that the discomfort level exceeds a threshold, turn either the first body part or the adjacent second body part such that the first body part is at another orientation with respect to the adjacent second body part which has a reduced discomfort level.
6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a proprioception system configured to track the orientation of the first body part with respect to the adjacent second body part.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the discomfort curve describes a discomfort level with respect to an angle between the first body part and the adjacent second body part.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the discomfort curve is automatically generated using a deep learning or regression analysis of pose data.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the animation of the first body part with respect to the adjacent second body part is prohibited if movement exceeds a discomfort threshold on the discomfort curve.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further programmed to detect a change in a type of motor activity of the virtual avatar.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein a discomfort curve is associated with a virtual avatar's current type of motor activity.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein detection of the change in the type of motor activity of the virtual avatar causes an access of a new discomfort curve governing the movement of the first body part with respect to the adjacent second body part.
13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the change in the type of motor activity of the virtual avatar comprises a type of movement of the virtual avatar in an environment.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further programmed to:
determine that a value of the at least one discomfort curve passes a threshold; and
in response to the determination, cause performance of an additional avatar behavior.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the additional avatar behavior comprises making a sound or making a gesture.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further programmed to:
move a third body part of the virtual avatar to reduce the value of the at least one discomfort curve to be below a third threshold value.
17. A method of driving animation of a virtual avatar using a discomfort curve, the method comprising:
determining an orientation of a first body part of a virtual avatar with respect to an adjacent second body part of the virtual avatar;
accessing a discomfort curve associated with a mood of the virtual avatar, wherein each of at least one discomfort curve comprises a mapping of discomfort levels associated with a relationship of the first body part and the adjacent second body part of the virtual avatar;
driving an animation of the first body part with respect to the adjacent second body part at least in part according to the at least one discomfort curve; and
if a magnitude of a discomfort level of the at least one discomfort curve passes a first threshold value, driving an animation of the adjacent second body part of the virtual avatar based at least in part according to the at least one discomfort curve.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
deconstructing the orientation of the first body part with respect to the adjacent second body part into a horizontal angle component or a vertical angle component; and
driving the animation with respect to the adjacent second body part based at least in part on at least one of the horizontal angle component or the vertical angle component.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein animating the virtual avatar is driven in a way as to reduce or minimize a value returned from the discomfort curve.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the orientation is determined based at least partly on data in a proprioception system.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the proprioception system further stores discomfort curves and formulas for rotations between body parts.
22. The method of claim 17 , wherein the discomfort curve describes a discomfort level with respect to an angle of a body part relative to an adjacent body part.
23. The method of claim 17 , wherein the discomfort curve describes a level of effort for an avatar to maintain the first body part or the second body part in a pose.
24. The method of claim 17 , wherein the discomfort curve is generated automatically using deep learning or regression analysis of pose data.
25. The method of claim 17 , wherein animating the first body part with respect to the adjacent second body part is prohibited if the movement exceeds a discomfort threshold on the discomfort curve.
26. The method of claim 17 , wherein the discomfort curve is modified based on the virtual avatar's current mood or mode.
27. The method of claim 17 , wherein driving the animation of the first body part with respect to the adjacent second body comprises chaining motion of the adjacent second body part to motion of the first body part based at least in part on a value of the at least one discomfort curve.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein motion of the adjacent second body part does not occur until the value of the at least one discomfort curve passes a threshold.