Silhouette‐based motion capture for interactive VR‐systems including a rear projection screen
Sven Thüring, Jörn Herwig, Alfred Schmitt · Computer Animation and Virtual Worlds · 2005
Abstract Markerless optical motion tracking is still a challenging task; especially applied for interactive environment there real‐time is required. Tracking methods based on silhouette extraction seem to have the ability for robust real‐time detection. But most background subtraction methods are unable to adapt their background model to the fast changing unpredictable images shown on a projection screen. This restriction makes them unusable for applications involving spatially immersive displays (SID) where users are interacting in front of projection screens. This paper describes an approach to solve this challenging problem. Based on a client‐server architecture it makes use of frame buffer and screen timing information delivered by the presentation computer and standard digital cameras attached to the tracking computer. The system requires no special hardware; therefore it is comparatively cheap and furthermore fast and reliable. Sufficiently accurate algorithms for segmentation and skeleton fitting are used, allowing usage in a real‐time system. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.