A basic study on dynamic control of facial expressions for Face Robot

In order to develop an active human interface that realizes heart-to-heart communication between intelligent machine and human being, we´ve been undertaking the investigation of method for improving the sensibility or KANSEI communication between them. We´ve already reported the “Face Robot” that has a human-like face and can display facial expressions by using the flexible microactuator driven by air pressure. In this paper, we investigate the method of dynamic control of facial characteristic point movement for expressing time-changing facial expressions on Face Robot. From the facial expressions expressed by human being dynamically, we obtain the timewise movement of facial characteristic points which sequentially change from neutral to one of basic facial expressions. Using these experimental results, we investigate the time-dependent displacement of characteristic points of Face Robot in relation to the electric-valve closing time, and obtain the appropriate electric-valve closing time for each actuator. According to this control method of electric-valve closing time, the dynamic facial expressions expressed by Face Robot can be controlled in a similar way as in human being