Networked Humanoid Animation Driven by Human Voice Using Extensible 3D (X3D), H-Anim and ...

103 Pages·2002·1.64 MB·English

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
Monterey, California

THESIS

NETWORKED HUMANOID ANIMATION DRIVEN BY
HUMAN VOICE USING EXTENSIBLE 3D (X3D), H-ANIM
AND JAVA SPEECH OPEN STANDARDS

by

Ozan Apaydın

March 2002

Thesis Advisor: Don Brutzman
Second Reader: Xiaoping Yun

This thesis done in cooperation with the MOVES Institute
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
Report Documentation Page
Report Date Report Type Dates Covered (from... to)
29 Mar 2002 N/A -
Title and Subtitle Contract Number
Networked Humanoid Animation Driven by Human
Voice Using Extensible 3D (X3D), H-ANIM and JAVA Grant Number
Speech Open Standards
Program Element Number
Author(s) Project Number
Apaydin, Ozan
Task Number
Work Unit Number
Performing Organization Name(s) and Address(es) Performing Organization Report Number
Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, California
Sponsoring/Monitoring Agency Name(s) and Sponsor/Monitor’s Acronym(s)
Address(es)
Sponsor/Monitor’s Report Number(s)
Distribution/Availability Statement
Approved for public release, distribution unlimited
Supplementary Notes
The original document contains color images.
Abstract
Subject Terms
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unclassified UU
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102
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March 2002 Master’s Thesis
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE: Networked Humanoid Animation Driven by 5. FUNDING NUMBERS
Human Voice Using Extensible 3D (X3D), H-Anim and Java Speech Open
Standards
6. AUTHOR Apaydın, Ozan
7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING
Naval Postgraduate School ORGANIZATION REPORT
Monterey, CA 93943-5000 NUMBER
9. SPONSORING /MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING
N/A AGENCY REPORT NUMBER
11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official
policy or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government.
12a. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
13. ABSTRACT
Speech-recognition technology is beginning to be used in automobiles, telephones, personal digital
assistants (PDAs), medical records, e-commerce, text dictation and editing. Speech recognition can also be
integrated into Virtual Environments (VEs) to create responsive virtual entities. Like the mouse, keyboard, and the
trackball, Speech-recognition technology can enhance the control of a computer and improve communication.
Dramatically expanding interest in the Internet and VEs has been gated by limited interactivity with
human-avatar models. As more users begin interacting with avatars in VEs, designers are prompted to create more
realistic, humanlike avatars. This quest for realism needs to go beyond visual aspects to include speech-
recognition technology, which can greatly augment the realism of these avatars.
This thesis presents design and development of a Voice User Interface (VUI), which maps to a set of
behavioral motions for humanoid avatars using Extensible 3D (X3D) graphics, the Virtual Reality Modeling
Language (VRML), Humanoid Animation (H-Anim) Standard and Java Speech API. The VUI includes a suitable
speech-recognition component for application-command vocabularies. This thesis also demonstrates
interchangeability of both avatars and animation behaviors, and creates networked humanoid animation driven by
a human voice.

14. SUBJECT TERMS Humanoid Animation (H-Anim) Specification, Avatars, X3D, X3D- 15. NUMBER OF
Edit, VRML, Java, Java Speech API, Java Speech Grammar Format, Web3D Consortium, PAGES
Voice User Interface (VUI). 102
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CLASSIFICATION OF CLASSIFICATION OF THIS CLASSIFICATION OF OF ABSTRACT
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Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified UL
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Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

NETWORKED HUMANOID ANIMATION DRIVEN BY
HUMAN VOICE USING EXTENSIBLE 3D (X3D), H-ANIM
AND JAVA SPEECH OPEN STANDARDS

Ozan Apaydın
Lieutenant Junior Grade, Turkish Navy
Undergraduate (B. S.), Turkish Naval Academy, 1996

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

from the

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
March 2002

Author:
Ozan Apaydın

Approved by:
Don Brutzman
Thesis Advisor

Xiaoping Yun
Second Reader

Chris Eagle
Chair, Department of Computer Science

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ABSTRACT

Speech-recognition technology is beginning to be used in automobiles,
telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), medical records, e-commerce, text
dictation and editing. Speech recognition can also be integrated into Virtual
Environments (VEs) to create responsive virtual entities. Like the mouse, keyboard, and
the trackball, Speech-recognition technology can enhance the control of a computer and
improve communication.
Dramatically expanding interest in the Internet and VEs has been gated by limited
interactivity with human-avatar models. As more users begin interacting with avatars in
VEs, designers are prompted to create more realistic, humanlike avatars. This quest for
realism needs to go beyond visual aspects to include speech-recognition technology,
which can greatly augment the realism of these avatars.
This thesis presents design and development of a Voice User Interface (VUI),
which maps to a set of behavioral motions for humanoid avatars using Extensible 3D
(X3D) graphics, the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML), Humanoid Animation
(H-Anim) Standard and Java Speech API. The VUI includes a suitable speech-
recognition component for application-command vocabularies. This thesis also
demonstrates interchangeability of both avatars and animation behaviors, and creates
networked humanoid animation driven by a human voice.

v
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................1
A. VOICE-INTERFACES BACKGROUND.....................................................2
B. MOTIVATION................................................................................................3
1. Exemplar: Situation Reports Using Voice Recognition...................3
2. Entertainment......................................................................................4
3. Virtual Environments (VEs)...............................................................4
4. E-Commerce.........................................................................................4
5. Gun Control..........................................................................................5
C. THESIS GOALS..............................................................................................5
D. THESIS ORGANIZATION............................................................................5
II. RELATED WORK......................................................................................................7
A. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................7
B. VIRTUAL REALITY MODELING LANGUAGE (VRML)......................7
C. EXTENSIBLE 3D (X3D) GRAPHICS SPECIFICATION AND X3D-
EDIT AUTHORING TOOL...........................................................................8
D. KINEMATICS...............................................................................................10
1. Forward Kinematics..........................................................................11
2. Inverse Kinematics.............................................................................11
E. HUMANOID ANIMATION (H-ANIM) WORKING GROUP AND H-
ANIM SPECIFICATIONS...........................................................................12
F. HUMANOID MODELS.................................................................................15
1. Nancy...................................................................................................15
2. Allen....................................................................................................17
3. Box Man..............................................................................................18
G. INTEGRATING VIRTUAL HUMANS INTO NETWORKED
VURTUAL ENVIRONMENTS (Net-VEs)..................................................19
H. SUMMARY....................................................................................................20
III. SPEECH-RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY.........................................................21
A. INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................21
B. WHAT MAKES EACH HUMAN VOICE DISTINCT?............................21
C. HISTORY.......................................................................................................21
D. BASIC TERMS AND CONCEPTS..............................................................23
1. Phonemes............................................................................................24
a. Voiced Phonemes....................................................................24
b. Unvoiced Phonemes................................................................24
c. Nasal Phonemes......................................................................24
2. Acoustic Model...................................................................................24
3. Utterance.............................................................................................25
4. Pronunciation.....................................................................................25
5. Grammar............................................................................................25
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