Technical Overview
The Video Call Alternative Appearance Avatar Interface provides web-based application enabling real-time face tracking and avatar control for privacy-aware video communication. The implementation employs MediaPipe machine learning framework for facial landmark detection and expression analysis, mapping captured movements onto Ready Player Me avatars with real-time rendering in browser environments. This approach enables video call participants to appear as avatars rather than exposing direct camera feeds, preserving presence and non-verbal communication whilst protecting privacy and enabling appearance customisation.
System Architecture
The application operates entirely client-side within web browsers, eliminating server-side processing requirements and reducing infrastructure complexity. MediaPipe face mesh detection runs on user webcam feeds, identifying 468 facial landmarks updated at 30 frames per second, tracking head rotation, facial expressions, and mouth movements with sufficient accuracy for avatar animation. Ready Player Me avatar system provides customisable 3D character models with standardised rigging supporting facial blend shapes and skeletal animation, enabling expression mapping from MediaPipe landmark data onto avatar representations maintaining visual consistency across diverse character designs.
Integration pathways support multiple use cases: screen sharing of avatar rendering window in conventional video conferencing applications, virtual camera software (such as OBS Studio) injecting avatar video into communication platforms as camera feed replacement, and direct integration into Unity-based applications through avatar state streaming. The architecture deliberately prioritises compatibility over optimal performance: web-based deployment ensures accessibility across device types without native application installation requirements, facilitating adoption despite introducing computational overhead compared to native implementations.
Implementation Approach for XRisis
XRisis deployed Video Call Alternative Appearance as web-based emulator supplementing Rainbow CPaaS communication infrastructure whilst planned tight integration with DFKI's VCAA technology matured toward production readiness. Facilitators and role-players used avatar representations during participant communication, maintaining professional presence without constant camera self-monitoring whilst enabling diverse character representation matching scenario requirements. Participants could optionally adopt avatar appearances for peer communication, with adoption varying based on individual privacy preferences and comfort with additional setup complexity.
The emulator approach validated core value propositions: reduced facilitator fatigue from extended camera exposure, enhanced character diversity enabling culturally appropriate representation, and maintained communication effectiveness through preserved facial expression and head movement non-verbal channels. However, limitations emerged including setup friction requiring webcam configuration and virtual camera software installation, processing overhead causing performance issues on modest hardware, and animation quality gaps where subtle expressions failed to translate convincingly creating occasional uncanny valley effects undermining communication naturalness.
Technical Challenges and Lessons Learned
Real-time face tracking performance varies substantially based on lighting conditions, camera quality, and facial feature characteristics, requiring adaptive algorithms that degrade gracefully when optimal tracking proves impossible rather than failing completely. Browser compatibility limitations restrict advanced rendering techniques available in native applications, constraining avatar visual fidelity compared to what Unity or Unreal Engine implementations could achieve. Network bandwidth requirements for transmitting avatar state updates prove modest compared to conventional video streaming, providing deployment advantage in low-connectivity contexts where video quality must reduce to maintain connection stability.
The implementation demonstrated that web-based avatar communication remains viable for operational deployment despite imperfections, particularly for applications where privacy protection and appearance customisation deliver specific value justifying setup complexity. Future development will pursue deeper Rainbow integration enabling automatic avatar transformation without separate web application requirements, improved tracking robustness across diverse lighting and camera conditions, and reduced computational requirements enabling reliable operation on resource-constrained devices deployed in field contexts.
Deployment Considerations
Organisations implementing Video Call Alternative Appearance technology should assess whether privacy benefits and representation flexibility justify additional technical complexity compared to conventional video communication. Applications where facilitators conduct extended training sessions may find substantial value from reduced camera fatigue and professional appearance maintenance without physical preparation requirements. Scenarios requiring culturally appropriate character representation benefit from avatar customisation enabling visual matching to community demographics rather than defaulting to facilitator appearances that may not resonate with learners from different cultural backgrounds.
However, deployment contexts with limited technical support capability, participants lacking experience with virtual camera software, or scenarios where subtle non-verbal communication proves critical for learning objectives may find that avatar-mediated communication introduces friction exceeding benefits. The technology suits supplemental rather than universal deployment: making avatar options available whilst supporting conventional video for participants preferring direct visual communication creates flexibility accommodating diverse preferences and technical capabilities.
Repository and Technical Documentation
Complete source code, implementation documentation, and deployment guides available through GitHub repository: https://github.com/NuwaStudios/Video-Call-Alternative-Appearance-Avatar-Interface
Published as open-source software under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license enabling community contribution and adaptation for diverse application contexts.
Funding Acknowledgement
Development supported by European Commission Horizon Europe CORTEX2 programme (Grant Agreement 101070192) with technical guidance from German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence VCAA research team. Views expressed reflect author perspectives and do not necessarily represent European Union or DFKI positions.
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