Speech Graphics

Speech Graphics is a technology company that provides software for creating high-quality, audio-driven facial animation, primarily for the video game and entertainment industries. Founded in November 2010 as a spinout from the University of Edinburgh's School of Informatics, the company was established by Michael Berger, Gregor Hofer, and Colin Macdonald. The founders' journey began during their PhD studies at the university's Centre for Speech Technology Research, where Berger was advancing his work on visual speech synthesis and Hofer was researching nonverbal animation driven by speech. They identified a significant need in the video game industry for a faster, more cost-effective alternative to the expensive and time-consuming manual animation or motion capture processes required for large amounts of dialogue.

The company's core technology is based on over 20 years of research in speech technology, biomechanics, machine learning, and computer graphics. It analyzes audio input, including emotional nuances and non-speech sounds, to automatically generate realistic facial animation and lip-syncing without the need for motion capture. The main product is the SGX suite, a production tool that converts audio files into animation files compatible with game engines and other 3D systems. SGX supports any language, including fictional ones, and can incorporate transcripts in 11 languages for higher quality output. Another key product is SG Com, a real-time solution with a latency of 50 milliseconds, known for its use in the player-to-player chat function in Fortnite's lobby.

Speech Graphics operates on a business model that provides its technology as both a product and a service to game development studios and entertainment companies like Warner Brothers. The company has received multiple awards, including a John Logie Baird Award for innovation and a TIGA Award for Best Animation Supplier. It has secured a total of $9.62M in funding over two rounds, including a $7M Series A round in February 2022 led by Sands Capital. This funding has supported the company's expansion, including the launch of a new enterprise-facing brand called Rapport, which adapts the core technology for applications in sectors like retail, healthcare, and corporate training.

Keywords: facial animation, audio-driven animation, lip-sync technology, video game animation, procedural animation, speech technology, real-time animation, character animation, 3D animation software, SGX, Rapport, virtual assistants, emotional AI, game development tools, motion capture alternative, nonverbal animation, visual speech synthesis