In the run up to IBC2023, eight selected project groups are gearing up to stand-out above the rest as part of this year’s Accelerator Media Innovation Programme. Each week the E-Daily will look more in-depth at each individual project, leading up to the show at the RAI, Amsterdam on 15-18 September.

Reviewed and selected from a solid line-up of lively pitches on business or technology challenges at the Accelerators Kickstart Day on 7 February, each of the chosen projects outline their unique challenge and set out POC objectives.

Synthetic Humans for the Metaverse

Synthetic Humans for the Metaverse

Spotlighted this week is a project presenting two different use cases demonstrating how synthetic humans can be used to captivate audiences in visually stunning, emotionally moving and inclusive ways. These two distinct use cases are a collaboration between Participants Signly, Pluxbox, D&B Solutions, and V-Nova. The project’s Champions include RAI, EBU, ITV, VRT, YLE, BBC, and BT.

To demonstrate the challenge, the first case is a theatre filled with the melodic tones of Maria Callas, and the second is a photorealistic sign language interpreter, to address important aspects of accessibility in broadcasting.

The final POC results will aim to showcase how synthetic humans can allow endless storytelling possibilities within emerging platforms, and also be used to enhance traditional media, such as television programmes, live on-air presenting and broadcasting.

The project’s objectives demonstrate both Proof of Concept workstreams which will explore a variation of production techniques, such as Metahumans workflows and multiple motion capture technology toolkits, so that synthetic humans can accurately and realistically replicate human movements, facial expressions and voice, to create and publish more believable, lifelike characters, specifically:

  • Recreating people as photorealistic 3D models
  • Real-time capture of body and face
  • Lipsync technology optimised for speech and singing
  • Leverage broadcaster’s archive content
  • Review cost-effective, sustainable tools
  • Output on multiple devices (such as VR headset and mobile)

Muki Kulhan, Innovation Co-Lead for IBC Accelerators, said: “So many of the challenges this year are exploring and utilising really groundbreaking emerging tech for creative storytelling and new audiences in real-time XR and broadcasting. The turnout of both returning and new Champions and Participants also goes to show that the demand for these R&D exploration and learnings is higher than ever before.”

IBC created the Accelerator programme in 2019, to support the media & entertainment industry with a framework for agile, collaborative, and fast-track innovation with a unique multi-company project-based approach to solving complex media and entertainment business and technology challenges. The programme focuses on hands-on experimentation – learning about new technologies and understanding new possibilities through their application in tangible use case and workflow experimentation.

Last year’s winning project will be presented with the award for the IBC Accelerator of the Year 2022 at this year’s show.

Look out for the seven other influential projects - all focusing on fast-track innovation framework for the media & entertainment ecosystem – coming up here in your E-Daily newsletter.

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