Talking Heads
by the Gadget Gals
Sometimes a piece of software comes along that's so cool - well it's not really software - it's a gadget wanna be. Such is the case with Crazy Talk, a new title from a company called Reallusion (http://www.reallusion.com) and, when I tell you what it does, you'll see why we Gadget Gals have elevated it to gadget status.
Imagine for a moment the opening assembly of the school year. Usually pretty boring stuff where what's already written in the Student Handbook gets read off verbatim. But wait, who's that doing the honors? Albert Einstein? Well actually it's just his giant head being projected on a screen - kind of like the Wiz in the old Wizard of Oz movie, but with much improved graphics. He smiles benignly, looks out over his audience with a stern look that catches everyone's attention, and then starts reviewing the details of school year. When he finishes his brief talk, he introduces the school's headmaster who thanks Dr. Einstein for taking the time to visit the school. Welcome back to school in the year 2003. Thank you technology.
Making this attention grabbing talking head possible is Crazy Talk. With this straightforward software, students, teachers, and parents can bring historical and present day heads to life on their computers. Within minutes, snapshots of friends, family, pets, or pictures of the famous including presidents, scientists, musicians—you name it—are lip synching, and even better yet, spouting the words you put into their mouth.
This Gadget Gal discovered this neat little program at the National Education Computing Convention in Seattle in June. Intrigued by the possibilities in education for the program, I couldn't wait to get home and download a trial version to my computer. On my first try using the software, it took only about twenty minutes to create a wonderful talking image. Using a clear head and shoulders photograph of my son, which I already had in my computer, I followed the program's directions and soon had the toddler rambling on like an adult. Graduating on to subsequent work with the software, such as putting together the Einstein welcome, I spent about 10 minutes getting it up and running. Of course the most difficult part is always deciding on what exactly the images should say.
The possibilities for using a gadget (whoops, I mean software product) like this are endless. For a teacher, think about short portions of a lecture being delivered "in person" by the subject under discussion or handing out an assignment with Shakespeare spouting some of his most famous quotations, Thomas Jefferson trying out different wording for the Declaration of Independence, or an endangered animal warning about loss of habitat. Students could, in turn, do many variations on an "oral report" with this package - interviewing a famous person about their life or work, using a talking head as a "straight man" to give a presentation some sparkle, or even have a debate with themselves about both sides of a critical issue. The possibilities are endless.
To get "real school" uses of their product off the ground, Reallusion also offers inexpensive packages of images (America history, Americana, Scientists, Artists, etc.) that are ready for prime time. Or you can create your own talking heads from digitized photos. It takes a bit more time if you make your own. You have to match and arrange a "frame" to your selected character's face. This is accomplished by moving little points that come up automatically on the screen. It's not difficult, but it takes a moment to do.
After your image is "framed", you are ready to add audio. So far, with the images I've worked with, I've typed in what I wanted them to say and selected a computer voice to do the actual speaking. Down the road I'm going to try recording my own voice or using audio from another source. The program automatically synchronizes the image's mouth and facial expressions with the words. The mouth moves, eyelids blink, and the muscles of the face work work in a remarkably realistic way. You also have the ability to change the expression (happy, sad, angry, etc.) as you wish.
Your finished talking images can then be used in PowerPoint or other presentations, placed on websites, or sent via HTML by email. They can also be used as self-running .exe files. Be assured, you and your children will find Crazy Talkhabit forming. It certainly does give a whole new meaning to the phrase "stop putting words in my mouth."
Product Information:
Crazy Talk
Reallusion, Inc.
PMB #240
171 Branham Lane, Suite #10
San Jose, CA 95136
Telephone: 408-350-1693
Reallusion.com
Reallusion - Educator Resource Center
Home Version - $49.95
Web Version - $79.95
Image Packages - $14.95 each
For PC only.
View Gadgets Archive
|
