Avateer™ – CGI Real-Time Character Puppet Animation System
Imagine having an interactive show featuring a CGI host that can interact with your audience in real-time. The Groove Jones Avateer™ system is one of the most advanced yet simple to use and implement systems. It makes creating interactive shows featuring a computer-generated host or character easy to engage in real-time conversations with an audience. The technology behind the Avateer™ system combines live puppetry and computer animation, allowing a CGI character to have dynamic discussions with guests in real-time.
The system works through a combination of pre-recorded animation segments and live improvisation controlled by a host controller. We utilize trained actors or subject matter experts who operate an Avateer™ character puppet remotely off-stage while the audience sees the character on a large projection or LED screen. The Avateer system and Hollywood-level character design can create an exciting and interactive attraction that looks and feels like magic.
The host controller can see and hear the guests through hidden cameras and microphones, allowing them to respond to questions and comments.
The St. Louis Aquarium uses the Avateer system for its “Otter Chat” attraction. The attraction involves an interactive improvisational conversation with Tommy the Otter, a North American River Otter, and the show’s star. The technology allows the aquarium to teach guests about otters, conservation, and educational facts about how they live. We created the CGI character for the experience, rigged and animated.
Perfect for Permanent Location Based Experiences and Pop-Up Events
The system is highly flexible and can be adapted for many uses. It is perfect for a permanent museum installation, theme parks, and location-based experiences. It is also very portable and can be used for pop-up events or conferences. Below is a photo of Iain Armitage, who stars as Sheldon Cooper in the CBS series Young Sheldon. He used the system on the Warner Bros lot during the Future of Entertainment Technologies event.
Plug and Play into Your Existing AV System
The Avateer™ system can be adapted and utilized in businesses to create interactive and engaging experiences. For example, it could be implemented in educational settings such as museums or science centers to provide interactive presentations or virtual tours. It could also be used in customer service applications, where a virtual character could engage with customers and provide assistance in a personalized and interactive manner. Our software solution is small and compact. We use hand controllers and keyboard keys for most of the action. A host can control how the CGI Character moves and reacts within an environment at a desk.
We use iPhone camera systems for facial expressions to track the host’s mouth, eyes, and subtle facial movements mapped to the CGI character—these sync to the lip and mouth movements, allowing for an automatic lip-synced character with no latency. The equipment is easy to use without needing any other special equipment or setup. We can install and train the team in one day.
The technology behind these systems that involve CGI characters puppeted by actors in real-time is often referred to as real-time animation or live animation. These systems combine animation, puppetry, and interactive technologies to create the illusion of a live interaction between the CGI character and the audience. Variations of phrases like “real-time character animation,” “real-time puppetry,” or “live interactive animation” are commonly used to describe these experiences.
Check out some of our other Real-Time Markerless Tracking Productions.
