FlexFace is a flexible display device for telecommunication. Conventional video calls use flat screens, which cannot convey the speaker’s head orientation or gaze direction in three dimensions. FlexFace uses a flexible screen that physically deforms to synchronize with the speaker’s head movements, spatially representing the face’s orientation and gaze direction. This enhances the transmission of non-verbal information in remote communication.
FlexFace employs a flexible screen made of soft foam material. The speaker’s face is projected onto this screen, which deforms in response to head movements, providing a three-dimensional representation of the face’s orientation and gaze direction. This movement is inspired by “squash and stretch,” a technique used in animation films to express flexibility and liveliness in characters.
The FlexFace system consists of a screen, a small projector, and a mechanism to deform the screen. The speaker’s face is projected onto the front of the screen, and when head movements are detected from camera footage, the screen deforms accordingly.