Accelerating practical application of photorealistic virtual humans to enable diverse communication from virtual to real 

Tokyo – Toppan, a global leader in communication, security, packaging, décor materials, and electronics solutions, and A3 Co., Ltd. (A3) are this month launching a collaboration focused on the business of casting for high-resolution virtual humans based on real people. Making use of photorealistic virtual humans created using high-definition real scanning data from the Light Stage1 at the Toppan Virtual Human Lab2 and leveraging A3’s casting know-how and experience, the two companies will partner on a new business that includes management of copyrights and personality rights for virtual humans.

“Joining forces with A3 will open up new possibilities for virtual humans,” said Shu Tanabe, Business Innovation Manager in Toppan’s Business Development Division. “We will explore how to best combine our respective fields to develop a new casting and model agency business driving the use of virtual humans for diverse applications.”

Background

On the back of advancements in three-dimensional computer graphics and artificial intelligence, corporate advertising and video content featuring photorealistic virtual humans have garnered growing attention in recent years. Virtual humans and related technologies are expected to play a significant role in new forms of communication in the future. Potential applications include reception and guidance functions at various facilities. With the emergence of virtual influencers and virtual versions of famous people, the identity of a virtual human is also now recognized as a form of value provision.

Toppan and A3 are kicking off a collaboration in the virtual human casting business by fusing Toppan’s technology for producing virtual humans based on real people with A3’s expertise and extensive connections to talents and influencers and the entertainment industry in Japan. As well as driving the creation of photorealistic virtual humans of a larger number of people, the initiative will aim to facilitate diverse forms of communication, from virtual to real, by using virtual humans in a wide range of settings.

About the collaboration

?Establishment of business scheme centered on virtual humans
A3’s expertise and ties with talent agencies and influencers will be leveraged to enable scanning of real people on Toppan’s Light Stage and efficient production of virtual humans. The two companies will establish a business scheme for using virtual humans for advertising, television commercials, and a range of other purposes.

?New model agency business using virtual humans
By taking advantage of Toppan’s knowledge on the use of virtual humans for business and A3’s broad-ranging casting know-how, Toppan and A3 will aim to develop methods for managing copyrights and personality rights, create a unique virtual model agency business, and enhance the market value of virtual humans.

Roles
?Toppan
Toppan aims to create a new field for virtual humans based on real people. It will generate photorealistic virtual humans from high-definition biometric data obtained using the Light Stage at the Toppan Virtual Human Lab.

?A3
A3 will cast models for generation of virtual humans and expand sales channels for virtual human content. It will also contribute to creating opportunities for talents and influencers and expanding companies’ promotional activities.

1. A Light Stage is a piece of equipment for high-precision face scanning developed by the University of Southern California.
2. The Toppan Virtual Human Lab was opened in December 2020 as a facility for advancing research and application development related to the use of face scanning and various other human biometric data.