Aminet Project
Overview
This system is realized as a distributed system via WWW. Our system is capable of bringing together geographically dispersed users in a single virtual world, and interacting both between multiple users and between users and the elements of the virtual worlds. Also, the avatars that stand for users' characteristics are implemented more realistically by using the high-quality animations, for example face expression animation, gesture, and full body animation. It has many features as follows:
Web Environment
- Functionality of consistent user interfaces
Network
- Unicast with TCP/IP
- Client/Server Architecture (about 6-7 clients per room)
- Client: Web browser with VRML plug-in and Java applet
- Server: Java application
Graphics
- Based on VRML
- High quality avatars (rich motion and expression)
- Support sound with TTS
World Manager
- Maintain world states with VRML commands
- Real-time oriented
User Manager
- Asynchronous message passing oriented
- Using simple multi-thread method: spawn new thread for each client connection, loop: read messages from clients, parse them, and act accordingly, room: keep track of all client information
Avatar Manager
- Include rich body motion and facial expression
- Manipulate mocap data with position/orientation interpolator and ROUTE in VRML
- Avatar body motion examples
- Avatar facial expression examples
TTS Manager
- Convert text chatting messages to voice data in server
- Broadcast the voice data to other clients
