Media Semantics

		Product Overview Media Semantics is your complete source for animated characters and supporting technologies. The Character Builder™ is a standalone tool that lets non-animators create animated presentations involving characters and supporting visuals. The Character Builder can render materials in the popular Macromedia Flash™ SWF format, as well as most leading video formats. The optional Character Server™ is normally located on a web server, and uses server-side Text-to-Speech (TTS) to generate dynamic character streams. When used with the Builder, the Server enables solutions in which any text can be spoken by a character, including text entered by the user or derived from a database. The Character Builder comes with royalty-free, ready-to-animate characters in a wide range of styles. Additional characters available in the form of Character Packs and Addon Packs. Many charaters can be customized directly within the Character Builder, and additional customization is also available through our Service Desk. Meanwhile, the optional Extensibility Kit gives savvy artists access to the powerful underlying artwork model, and includes sample art files in leading 3d and vector formats. The Character Builder supports high-quality Speech Packs as an alternative to recorded audio. Speech Packs are high-quality Text-to-Speech (TTS) engines that specifically permit the redistribution of the resulting audio within Builder-generated files.		Features at a Glance Standalone visual editing tool lets non-animators create character animation, voice, and supporting content Integrated media tools provide lip-sync, Text-to-Speech (TTS), and audio processing functionality Render-to-Flash feature creates royalty-free materials for delivery via the ubiquitous Macromedia Flash player Render-to-Video feature provides video output for use in traditional multimedia and mobile applications Optional Server provides batch and dynamic generation of Flash and video, as well as a comprehensive API for solution developers All products are available for Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7.
		High-Level Character Animation The Character Builder uses a non-linear animation engine to create fluid animation from high-level commands such as Look, Point, and Say. Actions are independent: for example any eye or mouth action can be used with any hand action, to allow for a wide range of expression from a limited number of actions. The approach lets authors work independently from animators, and significantly lowers the cost of producing content involving character animation. The Builder includes the ability to "lip-sync" audio files, so that a character’s lips and gestures are synchronized with a voice. Text-to-speech voice is typically used during development, but is increasingly an option for deployment, with the advent of high-quality speech engines. Characters are created using pre-rendered 3D art or vector-based art, and can take advantage of a variety of compression, masking, and tweening techniques. A separate Character Builder Extensibility Kit includes additional tutorials and source files for creating custom characters.
		Visual Authoring Backed by XML Media Semantics uses a rich set of XML primitives to describe character behavior and supporting visuals. The markup language resembles HTML, but includes objects such as Stage and Slideshow, that reveal a high-level underlying application model. Content authors normally use the Character Builder's Outline, Design, and Script views to specify content in a visual manner. For example, the Builder's Script View lets authors specify actions by selecting icons from pull-down menus. The resulting script can then be recorded in-place, or used by a voice artist. Developers also appreciate the powerful underlying XML tag set, for use in creating database-generated content.
		Streaming Web Delivery The Builder generates Flash files that take full advantage of streaming: they begin playing almost immediately, and then continue to play as they download. Because character actions are interleaved with audio, the resulting streams can be very small. In many cases a message can begin playing within the first 20 kilobytes of download. The resulting Flash file has a simple API that allows the surrounding web page or application to start, stop, and select among different messages - the character smoothly reacts to commands and maintains automatic and idle actions, such as blinking or mouse-tracking.
		Rich Supporting Media Builder-generated Flash files can be placed directly on a web page, or embedded in a growing number of eLearning packages that support the insertion of movies, including PowerPoint, Adobe Captivate and Articulate Presenter. Projects can also include supporting visuals - text, images, buttons, Flash movies, and Powerpoint slides. Supporting media can be controlled by a character, and synchronized with the character's voice and animation. For example a character can "point" at an image on a slide, then hide one image and reveal another one. Similarly a character can glance at an embedded movie, watch it for a few seconds, then stop the movie, turn to the user to comment, then restart the movie. The Builder can be used to create attractive slides and scenes, using features such as rich text, images, and embedded movies.
		Dynamic Flash and Video Solutions The Character Server is an optional component that you can install on your web server. The Server creates Flash streams "on-the-fly" taking into account variable information, such as information from a database or web-service, or information provided by an end-user. Because of this, the Server is almost always used with a Text-to-Speech engine, also located on your web server. The Builder and Server can work together to enable converational agents that respond to typed questions using natural dialog. At the heart of a conversational agent is an AI engine that converts a text question to a text response. The Character Server includes connectors to third party AI engines, such as AIML Program D. It also includes a native AI Server that is suitable for answering questions and delivering news items. The Character Server is available with either the Standard or the Advanced license. The Standard license includes a CGI interface for use with the Character Builder's External Message feature. The Advanced license includes a COM interface that provides access to the full Flash, video, and audio processing capabilities of the Character Builder, for use in web-based solutions.