AR helps panda to a wide audience
High-tech TV presenter impresses viewers of innovative new show, Li Yingxue reports.
The show garnered immediate online attention upon its broadcast, with topics such as "Sichuan People Enlist Panda as Anchor", "What's the Panda Version of Anchor Up To", and "Noteworthy Personalities in the Panda Realm" capturing widespread interest. These discussions quickly rose to prominence within trending conversations on platforms like Weibo and Douyin.
According to Bai Xia, deputy director of Sichuan TV, Beibei can be a bit of a "wild child", enjoying friendly interactions with panda enthusiasts. "Beibei's favorite treats are sugarcane and sweet potatoes, and he has a fondness for honey water. Having traveled the world, he is a proficient communicator," Bai says.
Beibei boasts a diverse range of talents that extend well beyond bilingual hosting, encompassing a natural aptitude for stand-up comedy. His presence isn't limited to the broadcasting realm; he's also an active contributor to numerous panda vlogs which are available online.
These vlogs offer a narrative of Beibei's fascinating journey, chronicling his venture from entering the broadcasting studio to his inaugural hosting experience. Moreover, Beibei's online dance exhibitions radiate an almost contagious zeal, coupled with a dash of humor and a magnetic charm.
According to Bai, the team has a crew of more than 40 people. She thinks the show's innovative aspect involves placing the motion-captured panda alongside the live presenter in the same physical space, enabling genuine conversations and real-time interactions, which guarantees a smooth fusion of virtual and real elements.
Liu Tong, the producer, explains that the show utilizes cutting-edge inertial-based motion capture technology, Xsens. This advanced system captures real-time data from multiple key points on the body through an array of precisely placed sensors.
It records intricate body and finger movements, performs meticulous analysis, and calculates the precise positioning of the human skeletal structure, resulting in seamless, real-time and high-precision full-body tracking, Liu says.
