Development of a method for changing the surface properties of a three-dimensional user avatar

Abstract

The object of study of this research paper is the processes of changing the properties of three-dimensional surfaces of a user avatar in real time. In the course of this work, the research addressed the limitations of existing solutions for synthesizing three-dimensional user avatars, particularly in terms of realism and personalization on mobile devices. Furthermore, the study tackled the challenge of efficiently adjusting color attributes without compromising the underlying texture information, ultimately enhancing user experience across various applications such as gaming, virtual reality, and social media platforms. A method consisting of three key components is proposed: pre-designed 3D models, multi-layer texturing, and software and hardware implementation. The multilayer texturing approach includes different texture maps, such as diffuse and occlusion maps, which contributes to the smooth integration of texture attributes and the overall realism of 3D avatars. The real-time change of surface properties is achieved by mixing the diffusion map with other texture maps using the Metal hardware accelerator, allowing users to efficiently adjust the color attributes of their 3D avatars while preserving the underlying texture information. The paper presents a software algorithm that uses the SceneKit game engine and the Metal framework for rendering 3D avatars on iOS devices. The result of the developed method and tool is a mobile application for the iOS platform that allows users to modify a digital 3D avatar by changing the model's colors. The paper presents the results of testing the proposed methods, means and developed application and compares them with existing solutions in the industry. The developed method can be implemented in areas such as gaming, virtual reality, video conferencing, and social media platforms, offering greater personalization and a more immersive user experience.