Single Actor Controlling Multiple Avatars for Social Virtual Realities

Social virtual reality applications aim to provide immersive, interactive experiences in populated environments with virtual characters. However, developing characters capable of natural verbal and non-verbal interactions remains a significant challenge, particularly when it comes to managing complex and unexpected interactions with users. To address these issues, we present a system that supports full-body avatars with six-point tracking and a streamlined switch control procedure, allowing one actor to assume control of multiple virtual humans and interact seamlessly with the users. The system supports both verbal and non-verbal interactions. In an experiment, we showed that our system enhances the sense of co-presence, creating the feeling that multiple distinct, human-controlled characters are present in the scene.