MMDAgent – Talk to any 3D model you want interactively!

Just recently, The International Voice Engineering Institute in University of Nagoya, uploaded a video titled 「【MMDAgent】初音ミクとおしゃべりできるソフトをつくってみた」 (TL: We created software that allows speaking with Hatsune Miku; lit.) to NicoNicoDouga, and currently becoming a hot topic on discussions. MMDAgent is a compilation of several modules of tools: voice recognition, voice synthesizing, 3D character rendering, voice interaction control and other tools. This toolkit, as stated by the contributor: “It makes conversation with a lively 3D character on screen and giving wonderful responses possible”. For more information do continue reading after the break!

On the video, an original character named “Mei” is introduced as “3D model developed on free 3D software MikuMikuDance that has high compatibility”, and further elaborates “That way, you can enjoy having conversation with any character you like”, but somehow the MikuMikuDance’s Hatsune Miku model is also used in the video. The voice is also changed into her voice. The dream of having interactive communication with Hatsune Miku is not far from reality it seems.

Incidentally, because MMDAgent is developed from free software resources, this tool will be also distributed as free software. It will be open to public this Autumn at CEATEC Business and Society Zone 2010. It will be on large display screen as part of the event. And we also hope that it’s also distributed at the event.

CEATEC is short for Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies. It’s an event held annually in Japan and serves as Japan’s largest IT and electronics exhibition and conference. CEATEC Japan 2010 will be held on October 5th (Tuesday) – 9th (Saturday), 2010.
CEATEC provides a platform for companies and organizations from all over the world to showcase their cutting-edge products, services and technologies. The event also serves as key industry networking and information-gathering opportunity, with numerous seminars and other activities offered during the fair.^[wiki]
Especially on this year, Yamaha collaborated with Yamaha Engines on an exhibition for some stamp rally event for iPhone application INFOSOUND browser users and it’s possible to get exclusive goods after obtaining a certain number of stamps. Perhaps interested people can check by themselves about it here.

I can’t really put the last sentence in English, it’s part of the Miku Miku ni Shite Ageru lyrics which roughly means, She’s really an “existence that leaped through the limit of science”. Don’t you think she’s one? Imagine the future where high-speed information transfer becomes a need, recording might not be needed as it could reproduced by means of synthesizing it. Miku (VOCALOID) might not be the pioneer of voice synthesizing, but it’s certainly raising the popularity of this technology since her birth.

This last paragraph is just my stupid personal opinion, and you can just skip reading this, but seriously imagine this technology being adopted by LovePlus. If only 3D model can cook, do housework and roam around (perhaps impossible), I’m certain Japan will have less of it’s citizen than it had planned for 2050… If it goes international, it might defeat the problem of overpopulating earth and global warming!