The digital human market is still in its early stages of development, but it is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years. The market is being driven by the increasing demand for realistic and interactive digital humans across a wide range of industries. The global digital human market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 46.4% from 2022 to 2030, reaching a value of $527.58 billion by 2030.

With the raging buzz around chatbots, people from all sectors are curious to know what the future of Human communication looks like. Our heavy dependence on the internet foretells a Digital future for human connections. The use of chatbots and virtual assistants is not new, but it feels unnatural. It does not replicate the feeling of speaking with a human.

Digital Humans fill this space by providing an engaging means of communication: the human look that chatbots and virtual assistants lack. They have the communicating capability of a chatbot with an added human touch.

What are Digital Humans?

Digital humans are 3D virtual creations that resemble people identically and can mimic their behaviors, including their motions, facial expressions, and conversational speech patterns. The existence of a real person with the same name, physical description, and bodily traits may or may not be true for digital beings, so it is important to keep this in mind. Like chatbots or voice bots that we are accustomed to today, they are autonomous 3-dimensional objects that exist in virtual worlds.

How does a Digital Human work?

Digital humans are characterized by their physical appearance. The ability to look like humans, mimic body language, and facial expressions, and understand nonverbal nuances adds to their charm. Thus, the technologies used to create them must account for both their likeness and their capacity for precise language comprehension and application.

It can be challenging to create a digital person. The creation of a digital person consists of three primary parts: generation, animation, and intelligence, each requiring a unique mix of art and technology.

Teams must create 3D models, textures, shaders, a skeletal rig, and skin deformation in order to build digital humans. Artists must consider the physical components of the digital human, including the body, face, hair, and clothing, to create animation and movement. To get the proper motion for these pieces, deformation, and simulation are typically combined. As of present, there are primarily 2 ways to generate realistic performance: either manually animate or collect motion data using different performance capture systems. It frequently combines the two together. Recently, it has become more common to generate or synthesize animation using artificial intelligence (AI).

Finally, artists must give digital humans intelligence, which they can do through two-way communication. An artificial person may converse with actual people using technologies such as Human Language Processing and Natural Speech (Riva, Ensemble AI, Replica). Both the actual world and the virtual world will be visible to them. They can traverse their environment by recognizing the surroundings and objects in it. Also, they will be able to see the users speaking to them, allowing them to look and answer appropriately.

Digital humans are created using a wide range of technology, including 3D modeling and animation tools. Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Artificial Neural Networks are examples of the technologies used to "give life to" digital persons. The key technologies that constitute digital humans are as follows:

• 3D scanning as the foundation for 3D modeling
• 3D modeling to generate a 3D model of a person
• Natural language processing to comprehend voice commands
• Natural language generation to create responses
• Artificial intelligence to analyze input and learn from repeated patterns

The visual and character qualities of digital human creation are supported by constantly evolving technology. Driving factors include the development of 3D scanning and visual capture tools, new, incredibly lifelike construction platforms, motion creation software, among other things.

Types of Digital Humans

Digital Doubles

People have been experimenting and exploring various methods to represent themselves as the world gets more digital and even virtual.

1. Parallel Personalities

One of the most common forms of digital humans; is an advanced form of a game avatar. It has been popularized by the rise of Fortnite and Roblox in the gaming community. These Parallel Personalities are now also present outside of video games. Twitch live streamers like MelodyProjekt and CodeMiko have now carved out their identity as virtual people. They constructed their characters using Unreal Engine, a motion capture suit from Xsens, motion capture gloves from Manus VR, and a facial tracking helmet from MOCAP Design.

2. Deep Fakes

Walking the thin line between potential privacy violations and funny are deep fakes. They are a type of digital double that are difficult to differentiate from the original human. Humans are already troubled by false information and fake news, which makes us distrust everything we see. And certainly, this technology harbors danger. Consider the latest Deep Fake movies about Presidents Zelensky and Putin that were circulated to perplex individuals on both sides of the Ukraine conflict. This was the first for deep fake use in military conflicts.

But there are also unique opportunities, as politician Yoon Suk-Yeol of South Korea can attest. He can talk to several individuals at once by using his deep false digital double. It responds to queries posed by the audience. Technically, Yoon's campaign staff is responding to the inquiries. Nonetheless, the audience feels as though they are interacting with the political candidate. Millions of people visited the avatar in just a few weeks.

3. Holograms

2Pac had a live performance at Coachella through a hologram. At her 40th birthday party, Kim Kardashian also received a special message from her late father through this technology. This offers fresh approaches to mourning the loss of loved ones.

4. Digital Twins

We can create a digital reproduction of the equipment, personnel, procedures, and systems used by enterprises thanks to technology. A hospital can, for instance, assess operational plans, capacity, personnel, and care models with a digital twin. A person's human body will also be modeled using digital twins to enhance diagnosis, medical care, treatment, and other health interventions. It will help in predictive forecasting and improve the precision of medical interventions.

Virtual Humans

Digital Doubles are yet another depiction of actual people in a digital setting. Virtual Humans, on the other hand, are distinct, human-like individuals who solely exist in a virtual setting.

1. Virtual Assistants

Business owners or service providers regularly deal with the conflict between their clients' desires for a rapid response and their preference for human interaction to obtain that response. Unfortunately, no business rationale can ever give a case in support of the investment for this. Virtual assistants help resolve this dilemma. Conversational bots are increasingly common today. The New Zealand police’s conversational bot, Ella, maintains daily interactions with citizens.

2. Virtual Influencers

The term "virtual influencers" or "CGI influencers" refers to computer-generated fictitious "people" with the likenesses, traits, and dispositions of real people. The concept arose with the introduction of Lil Miquela, the world’s first virtual influencer, in 2019.

Applications Of Digital Humans

Numerous industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, customer service, and many more, have a wide range of options available thanks to digital humans. They were initially widely used as brand spokespeople after becoming influencers. Today, digital persons may be developed to do a wide range of interactive tasks, including basic consulting, customer service, and bot-like interactions. They can be used in various interactions, such as team training and collaboration sessions with pre-programmed facilitators, or as part of storytelling and creative process exercises.

1. Entertainment and the Media

Digital humans have long been used in media and entertainment. The main way that digital humans contribute to this sector of the economy is through their performance in realism. With the introduction of numerous technologies, consumers are now able to distinguish between phony and real behavior. By providing computer-generated characters in movies and video games with a human touch rather than robotic movement, digital humans enhance their performance.

2. Manufacturing

Compound machinery and robot use are integral to manufacturing. The usage of this sophisticated equipment inherently poses a danger to occupational health, with the riskier the workplace environment the heavier the machine. Data has been utilized to create situations over time that might provide manufacturing industries with information on risk and other possibilities. Manufacturing businesses can run several simulations, including ones that involve dangerous situations, and get results that are just as precise as those obtained by utilizing actual people. This aids the sector in incorporating the best practices and safety precautions into their surroundings, lowering risk in the workplace.

3. Medical Care

As it is imperative to continuously enhance medical procedures in order to deliver better and more accurate results in the treatment of patients, training and process are among the primary necessities in the healthcare industry. Due to its ability to simulate, digital humans play a crucial part in medical research. A doctor can choose the optimal medical procedure for treating the associated health issue by combining data with an AI-driven digital human to better comprehend the potential adverse effects of any medical procedure.

4. Shopping

In the retail sector, the main goal has always been customer happiness. The growth of digital businesses brings with it the usage of digital assistants, whose deployment provides constantly ready and prompt responses to consumer inquiries. As technology develops, consumers are expecting and demanding excellent services, just like in the media and entertainment sectors. The 24/7 accessibility of digital humans that interact with customers in a human-like manner improves user pleasure.

Companies Developing Digital Humans

Here’s a list of some of the top companies that provide digital human services

1.MetaHuman Creator

Epic Games has introduced a new technology called MetaHuman Maker. The user can create models from the presets and import them into Unreal Engine using the online tool that feeds results to your local computer. A pipeline like this is ideal for developing apps and video games.

2. Hologress

This digital human platform is marketed as the first interactive virtual closet. With different settings, the user can dress up their avatars.

3. Synthesia

The software aims to create high-quality business videos with AI. It positions itself as the world’s first realistic-looking personalized video creator. The user can easily generate, update, translate and personalize the video, with 40+ languages available for narration. All the user needs to do, is type in the requisite text.

4. Daz 3D

Two of the company's morphable human models, which it specializes in, are the most extensively used 3D figures in the world. Daz 3D is a provider of 3D modeling tools and content (Victoria and Michael). Daz Studio, used by leading businesses and illustrators, offers novice and experienced graphic artists a free, time-saving tool to create and customize their works.

5. Character Creator 3

This technology was introduced at the GTC sessions on Nvidia's Omniverse "metaverse for engineers." For practically everything, including makeup, the app has preset. The suite comes with an animation package, and exporting to Omniverse and Unreal Engine is supported. With basic license-generating photos and royalty-free movies, the programme restricts the models' use. This approach is ideal for producing data.

Example Use Case - Creating a Digital Human using Unreal Engine

Making a digital human sound complex and intriguing. The following explains the steps involved in creating a digital human using MetaHuman Creator by Unreal engine:

1. Register for the MetaHuman Creator Early Access programme to gain access to the cloud-based application.

2. Upon opening the programme, a library of dozens of different preset synthetic individuals that have all been assembled using scanned data from real people is available. They serve as the points of entry. The user can mix various facial features from the presets, or personally sculpt their subject to give them a different face shape. The application is made to prevent unintentional face distortion beyond what is realistic.

3. Then, the user can choose the hairdo and color, make changes to the teeth, add freckles and wrinkles, modify the eye and skin colors, and even apply makeup. Then the user chooses the body type before dressing their MetaHuman in a variety of outfits that they may personalize with various colors and patterns. The user can choose different stances or play through various animations at any time to observe how their MetaHuman appears in action.

When the user has finished creating their MetaHuman, they can use Quixel Bridge, which is now completely integrated into Unreal Engine 5, to download it right into an Unreal Engine project.

Consequences of Digital Humans

1. User Privacy

More regulation is necessary since consumers are more prone to divulge their personal information when they connect with a human-like figure online.

2. Bias

Stereotypes and inaccurate depictions of society might emerge while making (or choosing) digital humans for various use cases.

3. Loss of Trust

People may feel duped and lose trust when they interact with what they believe to be a real person only to learn that they are communicating with a digital human.

4. Effect on Human Interactions

It is difficult to foresee what will happen to human connections, the foundation of our society, when people's digital identities are no longer connected to the real world.

5. Repercussions of a Digital Identity

In digital environments, where everyone has the chance to reinvent themselves, there are ramifications for trust and openness. People believe that the actions of their digital identities will not result in real world implications.

Future of Digital Humans

Every user will inevitably start using a digital human avatar as a persona to reside in the virtual worlds as we get closer to full adoption of the metaverse and Web 3. Users will soon be engaging with AI-powered "people" for everything in the metaverse as the relationship between humans and digital beings deepens.

The common user will soon be able to create their own digital person in their likeness or as something or someone else. They shall engage with the digital world through these digital extensions of themselves.

Conclusion

While considering it critically, it is important to remember the goal, treating technology and its growth as a tool rather than as a replacement for a human person. As more digital beings are produced, their presence must improve and present opportunities. By broadening their horizons, they may now create, cooperate, amuse, or even perform mundane jobs, and they can also become friends, facilitators, teachers, and much more. Among the promising instruments that call for thoughtful integration are digital humans. These tools may accelerate technological development, allowing people to focus more on their own growth and helping humanity advance even further.

References

1. https://lucidrealitylabs.com/blog/digital-humans-technology-human-face#in-conclusion
2. https://influencermatchmaker.co.uk/news/virtual-influencers-what-are-they-how-do-they-work
3. https://www.synthesia.io/post/digital-humans
4. https://wearebrain.com/blog/innovation-and-transformation-strategy/digital-humans-the-faces-of-the-future/
5. https://www.synthesia.io/post/digital-humans
6. https://medium.com/@oortech/digital-humans-explained-what-they-are-and-how-well-interact-with-them-in-the-web3-age-d2df72cc0425