Single Actor Controlling Multiple Avatars for Social Virtual Realities
J.J. Zhang, Anthony J. Steed · 2025
Social virtual reality applications aim to provide immersive, interactive experiences in populated environments with virtual characters. However, developing characters capable of natural verbal and non-verbal interactions remains a significant challenge, particularly when it comes to managing complex and unexpected interactions with users. To address these issues, we present a system that supports full-body avatars with six-point tracking and a streamlined switch control procedure, allowing one actor to assume control of multiple virtual humans and interact seamlessly with the users. The system supports both verbal and non-verbal interactions. In an experiment, we showed that our system enhances the sense of co-presence, creating the feeling that multiple distinct, human-controlled characters are present in the scene.