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FAQ

What is SmartFace for ?

 

Smart Face helps you control your sounds and effects with facial expressions:

  • In real time.

  • No restriction of the type of effects.

  • Multiple simultaneous controls.

  • Accurate, fast, natural and expressive.

  • Allows you to move around on stage.

  • Leaves your hands free while playing your instrument.

  • Leaves your feet free to move around.

 

How does it work ?​

 

Smart Cam (or any other webcam) records de face of the musician. Smart Face, artificial intelligence software, analyzes the images in real time, and turns the facial expressions into controllers (MIDI messages). Those controllers enable controlling the sound modules and effects of the musician. (Multi effects, synthesizers, software, etc.)

 

Is it accurate, fast and reliable ?

 

We have taken the greatest care to offer you the highest accuracy, rapidity and robustness possible. Indeed, we did not want our system to be a mere gadget, a mere "proof of concept". Smart Face software, used with Smart Cam, will meet the needs of the most demanding musicians.

 

What can I control with the software ?​

 

Any type of device or software that it compatible with the MIDI standard as synthesizers, multi-effects, software.

 

Is it customizable ?​

 

The conversion of expressions into controllers is entirely customizable by the musician.

  • You can assign the movements of a part of your face to the effect of your choice.

  • You can assign different global facial expressions to different sounds (previously recorded as ‘pictures’) and use morphing to switch from one expression to the other.

 

Will SmartFace software work with my webcam ?​

 

Yes, if your webcam has DirectShow drivers (which is nearly always the case).

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Why is it better to use the SmartCam than a regular webcam ?

 

The SmartCam video camera is much faster and provides a much lower latency and a more reliable recognition than any other USB webcam.

  • It takes 75 frames per seconds, which is twice as much as most webcams.​​​
    Not only does this reduce the latency, but it also allows a much faster control.

  • It does not use Direct Show drivers. Instead, it uses other types of drivers which are much faster and more reactive.
    This helps reduce latency even more.

  • The infrared recording enables a high recognition, in places with few or no light, and allows the stage lights not corrupting the face recognition.

  • It does not use compression or interpolation, which are used by color video cameras.
    The real resolution is much better and offers a finer and more accurate effect control.

  • ​​It can be fixed with its articulate stand (clip or suction cup) to an instrument : synthesizer, computer, etc.​

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What are the advantages of SmartFace over a manual controller ?​

 

  • It enables a simultaneous and independent control of much more than 3 parameters (vertical move of the eyebrows, vertical move of the eyes, horizontal move of the eyes, closing of the eyes, nostril movements, vertical opening of the mouth, horizontal opening of the mouth, head rotation in 3 axes (x,y,z), head position in 3 axes (x,y,z), etc.).

  • It offers a sound and effect control without the need to use hands, which make it useable by a bigger proportion of musicians, who already have their hands taken by their instruments.​

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Why is SmartFace better than an expression pedal ?​

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  • It offers a simultaneous and independent control of much more than one parameter.

  • It enables to move around on stage.

  • It enables a much faster and accurate control than with the feet.​

 

Why is SmartFace better than a talkbox or a vocoder ?​

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  • It uses the whole face (not just the mouth).

  • It enables to control many more types of effects: not restricted to vowel filter only.

  • It does not force musicians to make a sound that might taint or cover the sound of their instruments.

  • It does not react to surrounding noise or acoustic feedback.

  • It avoids using a tube or a microphone in front of the mouth.​

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