It is called Live Link Face and is a simple mobile phone application, capable of capturing facial expressions and transforming them into its animated equivalent, applying them to a video game character. The software was developed by the Unreal Engine team, which is a well-known game development engine, created by Epic Games.
This app, which is only available for iOS, uses Apple's augmented reality platform, ARKit, and TrueDepth technology, integrated into the front cameras of the brand's smartphones, to enhance this (almost) instant transformation.
In addition to facial expressions, the app also captures the movement of the head and neck and allows collaboration between multiple devices, so that the capture is even more accurate and reaches multiple angles at the same time.
The company reveals that this is not necessarily a tool exclusively for video game studios, but rather a software that allows for broader artistic creations, either by independent media studios or by artists who work alone and want to introduce a faithfully animated character in a of your creations. "The continued democratization of real-time tools for virtual production is one of the main objectives of Unreal Engine", writes the technology in a statement.
It is not known if there is a version for Android in development – the company makes no mention of it. However, it would be tricky to ensure that the app would work the same way with all the cameras available in the Android ecosystem.
Live Link Face is now available, free of charge, on the App Store.
