What if a virtual face could not only smile, but also tremble, blush, or cry?
Organization: Breda University of Applied Sciences
Speakers: Nick van Apeldoorn
Language: English
Duration: 60 minutes
Daytime program
Can I show you what I think you feel? – Hyper Realism in Virtual Humans
The human face may be our most powerful interface — a window into emotion, intention, and social connection. But what happens when that face is virtual? This session explores the frontier of hyper-realistic Virtual Humans: digital faces that not only smile or frown, but also tremble, blush, or even shed a tear. Drawing on cutting-edge research in affective computing and human-computer interaction, we investigate how lifelike, dynamic emotional signaling — beyond the classic “basic” emotions — can transform learning, care, communication, and public trust. We reveal why emotional subtlety matters: how complex feelings like anxiety or embarrassment remain underexplored, why static avatars fall short, and how real-time tears can open new doors to empathy and connection.
