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Glossary

ActiveMQ

General purpose open source messaging system, used by the toolkit componentsToolkit components. See documentation. Technical basis of VHMsg standard.

AcquireSpeech

[AcquireSpeech, one of the toolkit modulesToolkit modules, client to the speech recognizer. Can also be used for typing in questions or for selecting utterances from a predefined script.

Author

Creates characters.

Component

A component is either a module, tool, library or library 3rd party software that's part of the toolkit. It is used to refer to a general toolkit element, rather than more specific elements.Toolkit.

Developers

Modifies the toolkit Toolkit technology in some way, or uses the technology in other systems.

ICT

See The Institute for Creative Technologies, part of the University of Southern California.

Institute for Creative Technologies

Plain awesomeness.The Institute for Creative Technologies, part of the University of Southern California.

Library

A software component of the toolkitToolkit. Support Supports modules and/or tools and is usually hidden from users and authors.

Module

A runtime toolkit run-time Toolkit component that is part of the toolkit architecture. Modules are essential for running a virtual character, as opposed to tools or libraries which just play a support role.

NVBG

See Nonverbal Behavior GeneratorGenerates nonverbal behavior, based on textual input. One of the Toolkit modules. Often referred to with acronym NVBG. Developed at the Institute for Creative Technologies.

Nonverbal Behavior Generator

Generates nonverbal behavior, based on textual input. One of the toolkit Toolkit modules. Often referred to with acronym NVBG. Developed at the Institute for Creative Technologies.

NPCEditor

Statistical The NPCEditor is a statistical text classifier that takes text input and selects text output. One of the toolkit Toolkit modules. Serves as a character's brain and source for natural language input and output. Developed at the Institute for Creative Technologies.

Plist

Ogre

Ogre is an open source renderer that is provided with the Toolkit as an example on how to integrate SmartBody with a renderer. The main renderer of the Toolkit is Unity.

Plist

Data file Data file used by the NPCEditor. Although a general XML format, in the toolkit Toolkit the plist is often used when referring to a character's knowledge.

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SB

Stands for SmartBody Module. See SmartBody.

SmartBody

. It is a character animation platform that provides locomotion, steering, object manipulation, lip syncing, gazing and nonverbal behavior in real time through the Behavior Markup Language (BML). Developed at the Institute for Creative Technologies.

SmartBody

SmartBody is a character animation platform that provides locomotion, steering, object manipulation, lip syncing, gazing and nonverbal behavior in real time through the Behavior Markup Language (BML). Developed Procedural animation system. One of the toolkit modules. Sometimes referred to as SBM. Developed at the Institute for Creative Technologies.

Text-To-Speech

Module that generates audio based on textual input. Provides a character's voice.General process of turning text into speech. Toolkit characters can use this through the ttsRelay to speak lines that have no prerecorded speech available. 

Tool

A toolkit Toolkit component that allows users , authors and developers supportive functions.

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See Virtual Human Toolkit.

TTS

See Text-To-Speech.

TtsRelay

TtsRelay is a Toolkit module that interfaces to a variety of text-to-speech engines, including Festival and MS SAPI.

USC

See University of Southern California.

Unity 3D

Main renderer for the Toolkit through vhtoolkitUnity. The Toolkit only contains the executable, but you can download the free version of Unity or purchase Unity Pro from their website. See University of Southern California.

University of Southern California

University with which the Institute for Creative Technologies is affiliated.

User

Runs the toolkitUse the provided Toolkit technology as is, usually either running a component or using it to create new content.

VH

Usually an acronym An acronym for virtual humans, often used to refer to the ICT Virtual Humans group.

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VHToolkit

See Virtual Human Toolkit.

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See

Virtual Human Toolkit

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Virtual Human Toolkit

Collection of modules, tools and libraries that allow users to create their own virtual humans. This software is being developed at the University of Southern California Institute for Creative Technologies and is freely available for the research community. Sometimes referred to as VHT in text, always at 'vhtoolkit' in code, urls, etcVHToolkit.

Watson

Real-time visual feedback recognition library for interactive interfaces that can recognize head gaze, head gestures, eye gaze and eye gestures using the images of a monocular or stereo camera. One of the toolkit Toolkit modules.