**Adobe Researchers are delving into the realm of digital humans**, which are data-driven models that replicate human actions like facial expressions and movements in the digital world. Led by Kim Pimmel, the team, including Duygu Ceylan, Jimei Yang, and Jun Saito, discussed the significance of digital humans in modern creative tools. These models are essential for editing images, videos, and animations of humans. Ceylan emphasizes that understanding humans is pivotal for effective storytelling. Yang highlights the importance of digital humans in refining images, like altering hairstyles or facial expressions. Saito points out that these models are not just for realistic portrayals but also for creating animated fictional characters. Currently, Adobe’s tools, including Photoshop, Lightroom, Aero, and Character Animator, utilize digital human models for various functionalities. One notable feature in Character Animator is the use of digital human models for body and face tracking, allowing characters to imitate human creators’ movements. As these tools evolve, Ceylan foresees a future where various inputs, including text, audio, and images, can control digital humans, enhancing their capabilities. The Adobe Research team dives deeper into the subject in their Research Roundtable.
https://research.adobe.com/news/how-digital-humans-are-shaping-the-future-of-storytelling/