Autonomous animation in embodied agents

A system for animating a virtual character or digital entity, the system including:

• input-receiving means for receiving Input Text;
• a plurality of gestures, wherein each gesture is associated with:
• an animation;
• at least one configurable parameter for varying the animation;
• and
• a configuration range of the configurable parameter;
• an animation generator, wherein the animation generator is configured to:
• analyse Input Text to determine at least one gesture;
• determine a configuration of the configurable parameter from the configuration range;
• and
• animate the virtual character or digital entity with the animation as varied by the configurable parameter,
• wherein each gesture is associated with at least one modulatory variable for modulating the configuration range of the configuration parameter, and wherein the animation generator is configured to determine a configuration of the configurable parameter as modified by the modulatory variable, and
• wherein at least one of:
• (a) determining a configuration of the configurable parameter from the configuration range is randomly determined;
• and/or
• (b) configurable parameters are selected from the group consisting of:
• gesture speed, gesture amplitude and gesture pose.

A system for animating a virtual character or digital entity, the system including:

• a processor;
• a plurality of gestures, wherein each gesture is associated with:
• an animation;
• at least one configurable parameter for varying the animation;
• and
• a configuration range of the configurable parameter;
• an animation generator, wherein the animation generator is configured to:
• analyse, with the processor, Input Text to determine at least one gesture;
• determine a configuration of the configurable parameter from the configuration range;
• and
• animate the virtual character or digital entity with the animation as varied by the configurable parameter,
• wherein each gesture is associated with at least one modulatory variable for modulating the configuration range of the configuration parameter, and wherein the animation generator is configured to determine a configuration of the configurable parameter as modified by the modulatory variable, and
• wherein at least one of:
• (a) determining a configuration of the configurable parameter from the configuration range is randomly determined;
• and/or
• (b) configurable parameters are selected from the group consisting of:
• gesture speed, gesture amplitude and gesture pose.