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![[Better than the real thing]](21lead.gif)
Lindsay Pereira
I'm not much of a people person, really. Give me an empty room, my bookshelves and CD collection, and you can go home.
While I blame this attitude on a certain kind of disenchantment with the race, no one can say I'm the only misanthrope around. If I were, how could one explain new technological substitutes for bad old flesh and blood?
There's a whole new generation of folk waiting in the wings for your affection. And, no, none of them breathe or watch cable TV.
I suppose you could have seen it coming a long way off, if paying attention was your forte. There was that popular virtual newscaster called Ananova, a woman called Jackie Strike who actually intended to run for the US Presidency, and yet another newscaster called Vandrea.
Tame stuff, though. Simply compare their plastic smiles and jerky movements to today's bots, for a quick lesson on developments in IT.
Beyond newscasters mouthing the day's murder toll in a deadpan manner, a number of businesses have begun introducing virtual people to market products and -- beat this - even provide customer service. Motorola's Mya helps people through life on their cellular phones. Marc, resident (and virtual) expert for Eye-Trek, answers questions about his company's products.
Beating them all, an interactive entertainment company called Oddcast offers virtual hosts ranging from a virtual teacher and site guide, to a virtual fashion mannequin, comedian and even a virtual record promoter.
I'm not upset. If you've spoken to as many customer service executives as I have, you'd opt for virtual ones too.
There's also a guy called Frank, who's different. How? Well, he's a 'VRML-human' or, rather, a 'human simulation project in Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML).
Time to digress from this monotonous spewing of data, to pose a question: Why try and bring computers and forms of 'humanised' interactivity together? Possibly because most people (read those definitely unlike me) feel a lot more comfortable with some sort of human interaction - no matter how simulated - than with icons that need to be clicked constantly. Newbies are pleased, everyone's happier, and the presence of more female virtual characters than male makes the thing sound good.
First came that annoying paper clip most Microsoft users are familiar with. Then it was Kyoto Date, the world's first virtual pop star. Now, burning up computer screens everywhere is the voluptuous Lara Croft, who boasts a hell of a lot more fan sites than some celebrities who live and breathe.
Apparently, her success prompted the Elite modelling agency to develop virtual models and use Illusion 2K to hire them out for customer service, virtual fashion shows, games, etc.
I actually know a guy who drooled over a picture of Aki Ross in a swimsuit. Thing is, Aki's made entirely out of pixels, and stars in the 'Final Fantasy' movies!
Stop for a minute, now, and think about the kind of cyber-folk currently around. The DJ Robot, virtual talking characters capable of speaking up to six languages, animated life forms, virtual friends who can morph into different shapes, Marilyn Monroe simulations, and even a virtual Jay Leno! Those who couldn't manage a ticket to the recent Webby Awards were even offered the option of a 'remote-control human robot' called the Tele-Actor, equipped with a camera and audio.
So, boys and girls, what we now have is a mass of virtual beings strolling the alleys of cyberspace, waiting for you to click some life into them.
Are they all terribly interesting, you ask? Well, do crows caw in tune with Mozart's Requiem?
To solve the problem, a company called Virtual Personalities Inc. has been busy creating 'verbally interactive characters' called Verbots, complete with artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and real-time animation.
Another question. Why is a pet robot called Aibo more family member than metallic pup for those who own one? Yes, it comes in three colours, makes energetic gestures, and has light-emitting diodes for eyes, to express a variety of emotions. But is that enough to make one fall madly in love with it? I'd pass.
There you have it. More virtual beings coming our way. Up with the bots!
Those interested in the topic can check Virtual Humans, a good resource for links to people in the field, books, commercial companies, organisations, projects, sources of humanoid models and biometric data.
So, I may be a misanthrope, my friend. But you'd better get used to it. Our numbers are growing. And we're coming to get you…
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