Next-gen Interactive COunterpart

Who's NICO? He's a smart adversary. She's a professional instructor. NICO is MAK's Next-generation Interactive Counterpart. They are the virtual avatars you need to elevate your training, education, and experiential projects.

A system of virtual avatars, NICO presents as lifelike digital representations of humans, capable of realistically responding to verbal and non-verbal user input, and carrying on meaningful conversations, interrogations, and instructions.


NICO Characters



Innovative Integration of Technology

NICO integrates artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies with augmented reality (AR) to elevate virtual avatar interactions to unprecedented levels of realism, revolutionizing how we engage with digital systems as sentient beings.

 

Speech Recognition & Synthesis

Advanced algorithms accurately transcribe user input into text, enabling virtual avatars to understand and interpret the nuances of human speech patterns, including accents, dialects, and variations in tone and inflection.

High-fidelity text-to-speech capabilities accurately replicate the rhythm, intonation, and cadence of human speech, enabling Nico to respond with
realistic speech patterns that are indistinguishable from those of a human speaker in hundreds of languages, including multilingual translations. 

Large Language Models (LLMs)

Offline secure versions of LLMs generate highly detailed, coherent, context-specific text-based responses to user input allowing virtual avatars to respond with nuanced and sophisticated answers that are tailored to the specific context of the conversation.

Computer Vision, Detection, and Recognition

Provide the ability to detect and recognize human and pet life forms and interpret real-world environments, determining the presence, orientation, distance, posture, small arms weapons, and other objects. This combination of techniques allows virtual avatars to interact realistically with physical spaces and react to physical input.

Augmented Reality 

Nico brings the virtual world into the real world. Using augmented reality devices to display opaque virtual entities into real world settings. NICO’s facial gestures and motions can be seen and recognized by the wearer. Avatar visualizations are powered by a machine-learning library that generates facial animations from either pre-recorded audio or synthetic audio.


NICO is a flexible system that can be used anywhere up close and personal interactions are needed. 

  • Border Screening



    A labor-reducing aid for border control agencies, Nico detects deceit, performs facial, voice, and fingerprint recognition, and connects to relevant databases, acting as a first-line filter in airports and other border and security control points.
    Nico can simulate a variety of behavioral cues associated with potential criminal or terrorist activities, or exhibit a range of threat indicators, such as nervous movements, erratic behavior, or carrying suspicious objects so officers learn to identify suspicious behaviors/threats and respond appropriately.

  • Military Training



    Nico offers a versatile and effective tool for military training, allowing soldiers to hone their skills in threat detection, crowd control, communication, and decision-making in a safe and controlled environment. 
    The Nico system creates realistic, simulated environments that mimic scenarios soldiers may encounter in the field. This includes crowded spaces, urban landscapes, and various levels of threat situations. Soldiers can navigate through these simulations encountering avatars that need to be analyzed allowing them to practice and refine their skills in observing and analyzing human behavior. 

Key Benefits

  • Cost Efficiency

    Continuous service without the limitations imposed by human working hours.

  • Increased Efficiency and Productivity

    Performs repetitive tasks consistently and without fatigue. 

  • Consistency in Interactions

    Reduces the likelihood of errors or miscommunications in certain scenarios.

  • Data Analysis and Pattern Recognition

    Analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and derive insights.

  • Language and Cultural Adaptability

    Programmed to interact seamlessly in multiple languages and adapt to various cultural nuances, their versatility is enhanced in global applications.

  • Tailored Experiences

    NICO can be customized to provide personalized experiences, such as in customer service applications, by learning and adapting to individual preferences over time.



Protected under U.S. Patent Application No. 63/548,706 filed February 1, 2024

ST Engineering

ST Engineering