Method and system for controlling an avatar using computer vision
First Claim
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1. A method for controlling an avatar using computer vision, said method comprising:
- receiving a video stream representing a background and a foreground;
segmenting a user in said foreground from said background;
tracking a head position of the user to produce effector information;
performing coordinate conversion on the effector information;
performing inverse kinematics on the effector inforamtion; and
controlling said avatar based on said effector information.
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Abstract
A method and system for controlling an avatar using computer vision is presented. A video stream representing a background and a foreground is received. A user in the foreground is segmented from the background and classified to produce effector information. An avatar may be controlled based on the effector information.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for controlling an avatar using computer vision, said method comprising:
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receiving a video stream representing a background and a foreground;
segmenting a user in said foreground from said background;
tracking a head position of the user to produce effector information;
performing coordinate conversion on the effector information;
performing inverse kinematics on the effector inforamtion; and
controlling said avatar based on said effector information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for controlling an avatar using computer vision, said method comprising:
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calibrating a video camera with respect to a background to produce a background reference image;
receiving a video stream representing said background and a foreground;
segmenting a user in said foreground from said background and classifying said user to produce effector information; and
controlling said avatar based on said effector information. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
separating, in said video stream, said user from said background; and
tracking the head and at least one hand of said user to produce two-dimensional dimensional image coordinates of said head and said at least one hand.
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9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said separating said user from said background includes subtracting said background reference image from each frame of said video stream.
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10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said controlling further comprises:
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receiving said effector information;
performing inverse kinematics based on said effector information to produce a movement of said avatar; and
rendering said movement of said avatar on a display screen.
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11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising converting said two-dimensional image coordinates to three-dimensional coordinates before said performing inverse kinematics.
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12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said converting includes converting said two-dimensional image coordinates to said three-dimensional coordinates using a constant depth coordinate value.
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13. The method according to claim 10, wherein said effector information includes at least one of coordinates of the left hand of said user, coordinates of the right hand of said user, and coordinates of the head of said user.
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14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said movement of said avatar includes at least one of head movement, left arm movement, and right arm movement.
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15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said controlling further comprises:
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controlling said right arm movement of said avatar using said coordinates of the left hand of said user; and
controlling said left arm movement of said avatar using said coordinates of the right hand of said user.
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16. The method according to claim 10, wherein bones of said avatar are effected, and wherein said performing includes performing kinematics for each of the effected bones of said avatar.
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17. The method according to claim 10, wherein joints of said avatar are effected, and wherein said performing includes performing kinematics for each of the effected joints of said avatar.
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18. A system for controlling an avatar using computer vision, said system comprising:
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a video segmentor configured to receive a video stream representing a background and a foreground and produce effector information, said video segmentor having a background/foreground classifier and a hand and head tracker a controller configured to control said avatar based on said effector information, said controller having a coordinate converter, a inverse kinematics engine, and a graphics rendering engine; and
a display.
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19. A system for controlling an avatar using computer vision, said system comprising:
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a video camera calibrated with respect to a background to produce a background reference image, wherein a video stream is captured using said video camera;
a video segmentor configured to receive the video stream representing the background and a foreground, and to segment a user in said foreground from said background and classify said user to produce effector information; and
a controller configured to control said avatar based on said effector information. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon a computer-readable program code which when executed causes a computer to:
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receive a video stream representing a background and a foreground;
segment a user in said foreground from said background; and
track a head position of the user to produce effector information;
perform coordinate conversion on effector information;
perform inverse kinematics on effector inforamtion; and
control an avatar based on said effector information.
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26. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon a computer-readable program code which when executed causes a computer to:
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calibrate a video camera with respect to a background to produce a background reference image;
capture a video stream with said video camera;
receive the video stream representing said background and a foreground;
segment a user in said foreground from said background;
track a head position of the user to produce effector information;
perform coordinate conversion on effector information;
perform inverse kinematics on effector inforamtion; and
control said avatar based on said effector information. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
separating, in said video stream, said user from said background; and
tracking the head and at least one hands of said user to produce two-dimensional image coordinates of said head and at least one hands.
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28. The computer-readable medium according to claim 27, wherein said separating said user from said background includes subtracting said background reference image from each frame of said video stream.
Specification