Persona

Abstract

This article proposes the Persona method. The goal of the prosposed method is to learn and classify the facial actions of actors in video sequences. Persona is based on standard action units. We use a database with main expressions mapped and pre-classified that allows the automatic learning and faces selection. The learning stage uses Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifiers to identify expressions from a set of feature points tracked in the input video. After that, labeled control 3D masks are built for each selected action unit or expression, which composes the Persona structure. The proposed method is almost automatic (little intervention is needed) and does not require markers on the actor’s face or motion capture devices. Many applications are possible based on the Persona structure such as expression recognition, customized avatar deformation, and mood analysis, as discussed in this article.