The Pro Football Hall of Fame has partnered with creative artificial intelligence company StatMuse to animate John Madden’s Hall of Fame bronze bust through augmented reality. Fans will be be able to talk to Madden’s augmented-reality bust at the upcoming Super Bowl in Atlanta.
What was it like getting carried off the field after winning the Super Bowl?
What was it like to coach opposite Vince Lombardi?
For Madden’s bronze bust to virtually activate and answer these sort of personal questions, StatMuse first captured specialized images and high-resolution 3D scans of the original bust. A 3D character artist then constructed a virtual bust optimized for mobile viewing. Madden’s voice was recorded by StatMuse during a studio session to capture hours of storytelling from the iconic coach turned broadcaster, while simultaneously capturing Madden’s facial motion data. After downloading the StatMuse app, fans hold a tablet or mobile device in front of the bust to start Madden’s virtual face moving, talking, and interacting with them.
“Fans visiting the Hall of Fame will soon be able to interact with the Bronzed Busts to listen to inspiring stories and learn how the values from the Game have shaped the lives of Greatest Heroes of the Game,” said David Baker, President and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in a press release. “Now, not only will a Hall of Famer’s image be preserved through the Bronzed Bust for 40,000 years at the Pro Football Hall of Fame but their life’s message will as well.”
Madden’s interactive bust will soon greet guests into the Hall of Fame gallery in Canton, Ohio, shortly after the technology debuts at Super Bowl LIII. StatMuse, whose notable investors include Disney, the NFLPA, and former NBA commissioner David Stern, will continue working with the Hall of Fame to create interactive busts for other enshrined football players.
“By leveraging our innovative digital persona platform, we were able to create a truly groundbreaking experience that marries the latest in conversational artificial intelligence, augmented reality, real-time animation and facial motion capture to give fans a truly unique and personal experience with one of their heroes,” said Adam Elmore, CTO and Co-Founder of StatMuse, in the press release.
SportTechie Takeaway
John Madden was likely an easy choice for StatMuse and the Hall of Fame when deciding which football icon’s bust to animate first. In his 2006 HOF enshrinement speech, Madden said “I believe that the busts talk to each other. I can’t wait for that conversation, I really can’t. Vince Lombardi, … Reggie (White), Walter Payton, all my ex-players. We’ll be there forever and ever and ever talking about whatever. That’s what I believe. That’s what I think is going to happen, and no one’s ever going to talk me out of that.”
Thanks to StatMuse, Madden’s seemingly far-fetched beliefs from more than a decade ago appear to have become reality.