Affiliations: Ericsson Nikola Tesla, Krapinska 45, HR-10000 Zagreb,
Croatia. E-mail:
{tomislav.kosutic,miran.mosmondor,ivan.andrisek}@ericsson.com | KATE-KOM, Drvinje 109, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
E-mail: mario.weber@kate-kom.com | University of Zagreb, FER, Unska 3 HR-10000 Zagreb,
Croatia. E-mail: {maja.matijasevic,igor.pandzic}@fer.hr
Note: [] Corresponding author: Miran Mosmondor, Ericsson Nikola Tesla
d.d., Krapinska 45, P.O. Box 93, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia. Tel.: +385 1 365
3492; Fax: +385 1 365 3548; E-mail: miran.mosmondor@ericsson.com
Abstract: With evolution in computer and mobile networking technologies comes
the challenge of offering novel and complex multimedia applications and
end-user services in heterogeneous environments for both developers and service
providers. This paper describes one novel service, called LiveMail that
explores the potential of existing face animation technologies for innovative
and attractive services intended for the mobile market. This prototype service
allows mobile subscribers to communicate using personalized 3D face models
created from images taken by their phone cameras. The user can take a snapshot
of someone's face – a friend, famous person, themselves, even a pet – using
the mobile phone's camera. After a quick manipulation on the phone, a 3D model
of that face is created and can be animated simply by typing in some text.
Speech and appropriate animation of the face are created automatically by
speech synthesis. Furthermore, these highly personalized animations can be sent
to others as real 3D animated messages or as short videos in MMS. The clients
were implemented on different platforms, and different network and face
animation techniques, and connected into one complex system. This paper
presents the architecture and experience gained in building such a system.
Keywords: Face animation, virtual characters, MPEG-4 FBA, visual text-to-speech, 3D modelling, 3D graphics
