In addition to Sofia Stefanovic, professor of physical anthropology at the University of Belgrade, and her colleagues, the research project 3Lateral, which is part of Epic Games, also worked on the project. The tool allowed them to recreate not only the appearance of a long-dead man, but also his facial expressions.

Detail

• A human skeleton was found on the banks of the Danube in eastern Serbia.
• Archaeologists named the man “shaman” because of his unusual lotus-shaped cross-legged pose.

Skeleton of ‘shaman’ found in lotus position / Frame in Unreal Engine video

• Examining the skeleton, anthropologists determined the height and weight of the man. They also learned that the man ate more seafood.
• First, anthropologists created a clay bust of a man. To do this, the scientists reconstructed the face, restoring features based on physiological data. Layers of material were placed on top of the 3D replica of the skull, and the head was reproduced in its true size.
• The model was then scanned on MetaHuman to create a digital version.
• With the help of digital tools, experts recreated the “shaman’s” more realistic skin, hair, teeth and wrinkles based on DNA analysis.
• The model was then animated in MetaHuman using preset presets. In this way, the face could move and show different emotions.

The process of creating a virtual human model was shown in a separate video: video

Epic Games has also implemented the ability to interact with a digital character using a smartphone shown at one of the exhibits.