Shunichi Numazaki

A kinetic and 3D image input device

Gesture recognition in real time can bridge a gap between humans and computers. Object segmentation from the background is a critical problem in the conventional gesture recognition technology. We have developed a new input device which can detect a kinetic and 3D image of a hand in real time. We call it “Motion Processor”. The Motion Processor with infrared light sources and an area sensor can detect the reflected light image of a hand at 30 frames per second. The image resolution is 64 pixels by 64 pixels. It is easy to recognize gestures and motions in real time based on the detected hand images. This gesture recognition bridges a gap between humans and computers.

Flatbed-type autostereoscopic display system and its image format for encoding

We have developed a flatbed-type autostereoscopic display system showing continuous motion parallax as an extended form of a one-dimensional integral imaging (1D-II) display system. The 1D-II display architecture is suitable for both flatbed and upright configurations. We have also designed an image format specification for encoding 1D-II data. In this parallax image array format, two (or more) viewpoint images whose viewpoint numbers are separated by a constant number are paired, and all of the paired images are combined to obtain an image the same size as the elemental image array. By using the format, 3-D image quality is hardly degraded by lossy codec. The conversion from this format to the elemental image array is simple and does not depend on changes in the viewing distance and associated changes in camera number. Decoding and converting speeds are sufficiently high due to utilization of middleware based on DirectX.

A motional interface approach based on user's tempo

People naturally use gesture to aid inter-personal communication. However, during computer interaction, users are obliged to use conventional devices such as keyboards, mice, and game-pads. In this paper a motional interface is described that allows processing of gestural inputs through the medium of a 3D image-input device, or Motion Processor, which provides a more natural framework for human-computer interaction. Several PC applications for this real-time motional interface will be presented in the live demonstration session. These applications are edutainment prototypes that make use of natural hand movement.