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210 Chapter 11

could be reduced. This would give us tighter synchronization. Higher performance actuators
could be incorporated to allow a faster response time. This would also support more precise
lip synchronization.
A tongue, teeth, and lips that could move more like those of a human would add more real-
ism. This degree of realism is unnecessary for purposes here, however, and is tremendously
difficult to achieve. As it stands, Kismet’s lip synchronization is a successful shorthand that
goes unchallenged by the viewer.

11.7 Summary

Kismet uses an expressive vocalization system that can generate a wide range of utterances.
This system addresses issues regarding the expressiveness and richness of Kismet’s vocal
modality, and how it supports social interaction. I have found that the vocal utterances are
rich enough to facilitate interesting proto-dialogues with people, and that the expressiveness
of the voice is reasonably identifiable. Furthermore, the robot’s speech is complemented
by real-time animated facial animation that enhances delivery. Instead of trying to achieve
realism, this system is well-matched with the robot’s whimsical appearance and limited
capabilities. The end result is a well-orchestrated and compelling synthesis of voice, fa-
cial animation, and affect that make a significant contribution to the expressiveness and
personality of the robot.