The Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has developed an AI pet prototype, which combines virtual reality with real-world tactile sensations.
Virtual Pets, Real Interactions
The pet, called Luceal, was designed under the Physical Presence Pet (PPP) project. The inspiration for the AI pet came from six CMU graduate students and ETC members who developed the prototype over the course of 14 weeks.
Brian He and Jerry Zheng, the game’s programmer and designer, drew inspiration from Tamagotchi, a popular handheld digital pet created in the 1990s by Japanese toy company Bandai.
“We can have a virtual companion be overlaid on top of … a physical object that not only has the tactile features and textures of a physical object, but also the virtual expressive animations,” He said.
Using Apple Vision Pro VR headsets, the ETC team built custom textile sensors and animated designs. Olivia Robinson, an IDeATe Soft Technologies professor, guided the team through the process.
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According to Interesting Engineering, Luceal is equipped with sensors on each section, which send signals to VR goggles when activated. The goggles provide a visual experience of the user playing with the animal, which reacts in real-time to gestures and touches.
“I showed them how to create custom soft sensors and textile circuits using conductive fabrics, yarns, and threads. E-textiles were new to the team, and they were excited to create custom soft sensors that could be subtly and smoothly integrated into their stuffed animal form,” Robinson said in a news release.
One designer on the team, Sophie Huang, built different types of skins so that users can customize the appearance of their virtual pet.
“I grew up with a lot of different animals,” said Joy Lim, a member of the PPP team, “As an international student, I couldn’t bring my pet everywhere I go. So it would be awesome that I can have a device that is just around me all the time.”
The students behind the project announced that Luceal will be displayed at SIGGRAPH, a conference on computer graphics and interactive techniques. The team will also attend the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco next year.
