Artificial Intelligence pet creation: American students develop a tactile AI dragon companion
The Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has developed an innovative AI pet named Luceal. This unique digital companion exists in both the virtual reality (VR) world and the physical realm, thanks to the integration of custom textile sensors and Apple Vision Pro VR headsets [1][3].
Luceal, inspired by the popular 1990s handheld digital pet, Tamagotchi, is more than just a virtual pet. It is a tactile AI-powered creature that reacts in real-time to physical touch [5]. The custom textile sensors, embedded in a plush animal, send data to the VR headset, triggering lifelike AI-driven animations and responses in the virtual environment.
The system seamlessly merges soft sensor data and AI animation, providing a novel mixed-reality companionship experience [3]. Sophie Huang, a designer on the team, has even created different skins for Luceal, allowing users to customise the appearance of the animal to enhance their experience.
Brian He, a CMU graduate student, initiated the idea for a virtual pet, and he, along with Jerry Zheng, the game's programmer and designer, aim to create "other worldly" creatures that cannot be interacted with in real life [4]. These exotic, non-existent, or heavily produced creatures form the basis of Luceal, offering users an immersive and unique digital pet experience.
The ETC team, under the guidance of IDeATe Soft Technologies professor, Olivia Robinson, delved into the world of e-textiles, excited to create custom soft sensors that could be integrated into the stuffed animal form [2]. This venture into new technology was handled by tech artist Paige Li, who resolved the issues related to the new technology used in Luceal.
Luceal is set to make its debut at both the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco next year and the SIGGRAPH conference on computer graphics and interactive techniques [1][6]. For those who miss their pets while on campus, Luceal serves as a substitute, as described by Joy Lim, a member of the PPP team [6].
In conclusion, the development of Luceal marks a significant step towards the future envisioned by the ETC team - a future where emotion, technology, and touch seamlessly converge [5]. This innovative AI pet demonstrates the potential of blending physical and digital experiences through VR and AI animation, offering a multimodal sensory interaction that bridges the gap between the virtual and the real.
- The development of Luceal, a unique AI pet at Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center, showcases the blend of science and technology, with its integration of custom textile sensors and Apple Vision Pro VR headsets.
- Luceal, inspired by the 1990s digital pet Tamagotchi, transcends traditional virtual pets by reacting in real-time to physical touch, merging technology, innovation, and robotics.
- Coming soon, Luceal will be presented at major tech conferences such as Game Developers Conference and SIGGRAPH, exemplifying smartphone-enabled technology and demonstrating the potential for gadgets to create immersive, interactive digital-physical experiences.
