LogInIshikawa Teruyuki and Yuka talk about creating digital humans.
What makes people human? Is it a beating heart or a soul? Can a CG model have a soul? TELYUKA – a Japanese couple Teruyuki and Yuka Ishikawa – seem to think so. The duo creates extremely photorealistic 3DCG characters 'with a soul.'
"Our work focuses primarily on using computer graphics to create extremely human-like characters. As part of that work, we pay a lot of attention to human gestures and the kind of charming expressions that make people feel at ease. So adding a human touch is really key to our work," the couple told NHK.
TELYUKA's most popular digital human is Saya – a 17-year old Japanese girl first made in 2015. She looks very realistic due to the effort put into her by the creators: she even has some parts that no one will ever see, like a tongue or muscles. In fact, the Ishikawas think that such fine details make her have a soul, that she wouldn't be whole without that:
"I think that it's all these different elements being layered together that makes it possible to have a soul," says Yuka.
The couple was inspired by a puppet maker Tsujimura Jusaburo, the sense of a soul, the presence his works have, and the materials he used in his works. Similarly, the couple tries to make Saya look alive but not too much:
"It's always a balance between making her more human and keeping her visibly CG," they say.
Now, TELYUKA is working on Saya's AI and voice to make her functional, not just a picture. She can conduct interviews and even hold a conversation. Moreover, she is used on an experimental autonomous bus, where she acts as a conductor and watches over the passengers. She can even detect if the passenger has left something in the car and warn them about it.
It certainly seems that CG and AI are moving in the direction of greater realism and functionality, and it's interesting to see where it will lead the technology.
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