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- Advanced Technology Laboratories
Launch of Joint Research Project on XR with Leading Overseas Research institute
~ Creating XR experience through fusion of physical and cyber space ~
April 20, 2021
KDDI Research, Inc.
From April 2021, KDDI Research (head office at Fujimino-shi, Saitama; Hajime Nakamura, Chief Executive Officer) has embarked upon a joint research project with Prof. Antonio Ortega of the University of Southern California (Los Angeles, California, United States), who is one of the world’s leading researchers in the field of video signal processing. The objective of the project is to realize user-centric, ultra-realistic experiences* through the fusion of physical and cyber space using XR (Cross Reality) technology. Through this joint research, our aim is to achieve cutting-edge research breakthroughs in the field of physical space reproduction, which is one of the core technologies in XR.
In the field of XR, 3D data reproduction of physical space, such as "3D computer graphics that can render photorealistic human figures (virtual human)", is an important element for an ultra-realistic visual experience. Furthermore, there are high and growing expectations for user-centric, ultra-realistic experiences that create a sense of naturalness and comfort by controlling the space according to the user's preferences. In an effort to realize this kind of visual experience, conventionally, a set of points (point cloud) obtained from sensor data at a certain time has been used to reproduce the physical space. However, the temporal structure of the point cloud, such human movement, has not been utilized effectively. As a result of this time discontinuity in the reproduced space, the quality of the experience was degraded and the efficiency of data compression was reduced. In this joint research project, we plan to use graph signal processing, a state-of-the-art signal processing theory, to structure and analyze the temporal changes in the point clouds as graphs, and apply it to improving the quality of point cloud representation and high efficiency data compression.
Figure 1：Example of XR experience and the subject of this project
Looking ahead to the year 2030, KDDI Research will use the findings of this project to establish core technologies for the reproduction of physical spaces that are so photorealistic that they are almost indistinguishable from the real world, and to use these technologies in the areas of remote communication, medical care, education, and entertainment in a way that makes people feel "as if they are there right now".
■ Information on the partner of this joint research
Laboratory: Signal Transformation, Analysis and Compression Group, University of Southern California
Faculty: Prof. Antonio Ortega
Research fields: Graph signal processing; digital image and video compression and communications; signal analysis; sensor networks
Past and current collaborations/funding (except for KDDI): National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United States Department of Energy (DOE), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Hewlett-Packard Company (HP), Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., LG Electronics Inc., Google LLC, Chevron Corporation, Texas Instruments Inc., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, and Qualcomm, Inc.
■ Note
See the news release dated October 26, 2020:
Launch of Joint Research Projects with Outstanding Researchers Overseas
~Toward realizing KDDI Accelerate 5.0, our concept of the future society~
*Experiences which are not just about creating a sense of power and surprise, but also about controlling the space according to the user's preferences based on an awareness of the importance of naturalness and comfort, as ultra-realistic experiences. This project will lead to the realization of user-centric ultra-realistic experiences, as the new technology, graph signal processing, can contribute to improved quality of experience and transmission efficiency related to physical space reconstruction.
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