25th July- 3rd August 2008
Presented at ISEA 2008, Singapore
Barbara Rauch, PhD
Research Fellow, University of the Arts London
Summary of the proposal
Mapping Virtual Emotions: 3D-surface capturing of animated facial expressions in animals and humans
This project focused on a theory suggested by Charles Darwin over 125 years ago (1872, in Ekman [1998, p.xxii]). It is the idea that facial expressions, contrary to what we often like to believe, are not unique to human beings. Darwin’s metatheory of the continuity of species explains that neither our facial expressions nor the musculature in the face are unique to humans. Both are products of evolution and internal physiology (Ekman 1998, p.xxv – xxvii).
I adopted an interdisciplinary and practical approach to explore my original overall research question and the study of human emotions and in particular how we project those onto animals. The data capturing of the animals and human faces was done at two places in different stages. I started with the portable laser scanner from the SCIRIA research unit, University of the Arts London to get data from stuffed animals, and then additional photogrammatic scanning was undertaken at the Molecular Medicine Unit, UCL, to capture the human face and its expressions. As suggested in my original proposal, I have studied theories of emotions through the work of Damasio, Darwin, Ekman and LeDoux. Paul Ekman’s work was particularly relevant to the study of human facial expressions, while I returned to Darwin (and Ekman’s commentary on Darwin’s book ‘The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals’, from 1872) for details on animal facial expressions.
Building on my research into consciousness studies and emotions, I have developed a new artwork to reveal aspects of characteristic human emotions (i.e. laughing, crying, frowning, sneering, etc.), which uses new technology, in particular digital scanning devices and special effects animation software. The proposal is to use a 3D high-resolution laser scanner to capture animal faces and using the data of these faces, animate and then combine them with human emotional facial expressions. The morphing of the human and animal facial data are not merely layers of the different scans but an algorithmic programme has been applied which merges crucial landmarks in the animal face to match with the human. The results are morphings of the physical characteristics of animals with the emotional characteristics of the human face in 3D. Examples of stills and animated sequences are given in the digital portfolio that accompanies this report.
I had the opportunity to exhibit my new work in the exhibition ‘Digital and Physical Surfaces’ in the Triangle Project Space at Chelsea College of Art & Design, University of the Arts London in February 2007. The work presented was an installation entitled ‘Virtual Emotions’. I presented a monitor piece on a trestle table which showed an animation of a human face morphing in and out of expressive facial expressions. The intention was to encourage the visitor to feel several emotions themselves while watching the person on screen. There were seven archive boxes for the visitors to file their own handwritten story, according to Ekman’s seven universal human emotions, i.e. anger, fear, disgust, happiness, etc. To the right of the table a 3D monitor displayed a fox’s head changing randomly to express different emotions, clearly showing signs of anger, disgust, etc. The scene was programmed so that the fox’s face appeared to be projected at some distance from the physical screen. This encouraged visitors to walk around the sculpture and attempt to look at the fox from different angles.
Current Position and Statement
Dr Barbara Rauch is an artist practitioner and academic with a fulltime research position. She is the holder of a 2-year AHRC research grant, ‘The Personalised Surface within Fine Art Digital Printmaking’ (together with Prof P. Coldwell, FADE). As co-applicant and co-investigator she conducts several case studies with an emphasis on 3-dimensional prints and screen-based works.
As acting director at SCIRIA, Rauch leads on the ‘Virtual eMotions’ research group. The group investigates emotions and in particular human facial expressions. The project is a continuation of an AHRC funded research project, ‘Mapping Virtual Emotions: 3D-surface capturing of animated facial expressions in animals and humans’, that was completed in June 2007.
Rauch’s PhD thesis is entitled ‘Natural and Digital Virtual Realities – a practice-based exploration of dreaming and online virtual environments’ and is available through the British Library in London and as reference only at Camberwell College of Arts Library.
