Prof. Henry Duh's digital Representation of Yan Fu Showcases AI's Potential at the Exhibition

Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing rapidly, and many industries, including design, are incorporating AI technology into their fields. Our Associate Dean Prof. Henry Duh's latest project, showcased in the "Chinese Culture and its Modernisation: Yan Fu’s Legacy" exhibition, integrates interactive multimedia displays that combine contemporary art, documentaries, and AI technology. This installation allows visitors to interact with the digital avatar of Mr Yan Fu, facilitating a deep exploration of his philosophical beliefs.

 

This interactive installation harnesses the latest AI technology to create and shape a digital avatar's modelling, appearance, and voice. Drawing from historical photos and data and employing the voices of trained actors, the team utilises generative AI technology to depict Yan Fu's image. To enhance the authenticity of the character portrayal, the research team delves further into expressions and lip sync, refining details. By leveraging language models of other Chinese historical figures, they construct a more comprehensive historical backdrop for Yan Fu, aiming to offer users an immersive experience.

In addition to this project, Research Centre for Cultural and Art Technology and PolyU-NVIDIA Joint Research Centre led by Prof. Duh will host an exhibition in January featuring a range of design research projects related to AI. This showcase will include the project "Beauty of Cantonese Porcelain" entries from “The AI-Powered Legacy” 48 Hours AI filmmaking competition, and more. Stay tuned if you are keen on delving into the intersection of AI with design and art.

The "Chinese Culture and its Modernisation: Yan Fu’s Legacy" exhibition currently happens at the Gallery of Jockey Club Innovation Tower is part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) as a university. It is led by PolyU and co-organised by the Fujian Yan Fu Academic Research Association, Fujian Chuanzheng Culture Management Committee, and Fujian Culture and Economy Exchange Center. For details, click here.