Abstract: A system for projecting an image onto a common surface location from multiple augmented reality functional nodes is provided. Projecting an image from multiple environments provides an overall brighter image for a user and provides the ability to utilize small and/or lower power projectors in an augmented reality environment while still having the ability to display a bright image.

Abstract: Techniques for enhancing audio at a network-accessible computing platform and then providing the enhanced audio to a client device. By enhancing the audio remotely at the computing platform rather than locally at the client device, the client device need not include the infrastructure (e.g., hardware and software) required to perform these audio enhancements. Therefore, the client device may be manufactured at a lesser expense as compared to devices that perform the enhancements themselves. Instead, the client devices described herein simply receive the pre-enhanced audio and directly output this audio.

Abstract: An audio-based system may perform automatic noise reduction to enhance speech intelligibility in an audio signal. Described techniques include initially analyzing audio frames in the time domain to identify frames having relatively low power levels. Those frames are then further analyzed in the frequency domain to estimate noise. For example, the initially identified frames may be analyzed at each of multiple frequencies to detect the lowest exhibited power at each of those frequencies. The lowest power values are used as an estimation of noise across the frequency spectrum, and as the basis for calculating a spectral gain for filtering the audio signal in the frequency domain.

Abstract: Devices and techniques are described for generating three-dimensional (3D) models of objects. Depth data acquired from a depth camera system is used with data about surface normals to generate a 3D model of the object. The depth camera system may use cameras or projectors with different baseline distances to generate depth data. The use of different baseline distances may improve accuracy of the depth data. The data about surface normals may be calculated from images acquired when the object is illuminated from different angles. By using the depth data and relative depth changes from the surface normal data, high resolution spatial data may be generated at high frame rates. Data from multiple baseline distances may also be combined to improve performance.

Abstract: Techniques are described for determining the pose of an object based on a 3D point set representing the object. The 3D point set is rotated into a 2D coordinate system and a model object contour is aligned with the contour of the rotated point set using an iterative process. The aligned model object contour is then rotated back into the original 3D coordinate system, where its pose is assumed to represent the pose of the object.

Abstract: An augmented reality system is configured to identify and track user gestures, sounds, and interaction with physical objects to designate active zones. These active zones may be allocated additional processing and functional resources. Gestures may include particular hand or body motions, orientation of a user's head, and so forth. Sounds may include clapping, clicks, whistles, taps, footfalls, humming, singing, speech, and so forth. Active areas as well as inactive areas of lesser or no interest may be designated as well.

Abstract: A directive projection screen is configured to present images projected from a remote projector in three dimensions (3D) to a viewer. The screen includes a plurality of passive optical elements arranged on a structural substrate. The optical elements are configured to receive incident light projected from the projector and reflect the light such that first portions of the image are directed in a first direction to be viewed by a first eye of the viewer and second portions of the image are directed in a second direction to be viewed by a second eye of the viewer.

Abstract: Techniques for determining when to perform an action associated with a voice command and when to disregard the voice command. In some instances, the techniques reference an identity of a user that utters a command when making this determination. For instance, if a first user awakens a device or initially begins providing voice commands to the device, the device or another computing device may perform actions associated with subsequent voice commands uttered by the same user, while disregarding voice commands from other users. That is, because the device is engaging in a dialog with a first user, the device may refrain from engaging in a dialog with a different user. Additionally or alternatively, the device may begin a new dialog with the different user, either upon identifying the command of the other user or upon finishing the dialog with the first user.

Abstract: Techniques for altering audio being output by an audio-controlled device, or another device, to enable more accurate automatic speech recognition (ASR) by the audio-controlled device. For instance, an audio-controlled device may output audio within an environment using a speaker of the device. While outputting the audio, a microphone of the device may capture sound within the environment and may generate an audio signal based on the captured sound. The device may then analyze the audio signal to identify a predefined non-speech command issued by a user within the environment. In response to identifying the predefined non-speech command, the device may somehow alter the output of the audio for the purpose of reducing the amount of noise within subsequently captured sound.

Abstract: A virtual user interface in a 3D environment is projected onto a display object, such as an open hand. An operating object, such as a stylus or a second hand with an index finger extended, may be used to select input features of the projected user interface. In one scenario, for example, a telephone keypad may be projected onto the open hand and the index finger may be used to select a particular number on the keypad. Images of the hands may be segmented to produce contours of the finger and open hand, and these contours are used to determine the location of the finger relative to the open hand.

Abstract: Techniques are described for reducing safety-relevant emission of a laser projection system. A multi-facet optical element is positioned in the path of a raster-scanning laser beam. Each facet of the optical element is angled to redirect a projected pixel to a different pixel position. Collectively, the facets are configured to convert the projected raster scan into a non-raster scan in which physically proximate pixels are illuminated temporally non-proximate times.

Abstract: Techniques are described for determining locations of audio sources. Audio signals are captured from multiple locations. Pairs of the audio signals are analyzed to create correlograms, indicating correlation scores corresponding to different time offsets between the signals. Based on the correlograms, various locations are analyzed to determine probabilities of audio originating from those locations. The highest probabilities are found, indicating locations containing audio sources. In some situations, the audio sources may be reflective sources, and the locations of the reflective sources may be used to determine locations of objects or surfaces.

Abstract: A projector based user interface unit is described for implanting an interactive workspace. The interface unit projects a graphical workspace onto a display surface and monitors user interactions with the workspace. A mirror is placed on or near the workspace to reflect the face of the user to the interface unit. The interface unit captures the mirrored face of the user and provides images of the face of the user to other users for use in conjunction with collaborative techniques such as video conferencing or content sharing.

Abstract: A distance between a light source and a surface may be determined by emitting pulses of light from the light source and measuring an intensity of the light after the light reaches the surface. To determine a true distance, aliased distances, which are outside of a known distance segment, are disregarded. The distance segment may be defined by a modulation period of light emitted by the light source. The distance segment may be determined based on a ratio of a measured intensity of light captured during a first time interval and a second time interval, and a comparison of other types of evidence data that identifies a correct distance segment. The evidence data may include data associated with the amplitude (intensity) of the light captured, temporal variations in data, and/or analysis data collected from other surfaces that are adjacent to the surface.

Abstract: A speech-based system includes a local device in a user premises and a remote service that uses the local device to conduct speech dialogs with a user. The local device may also be directed to play audio such as music, audio books, etc. When designating audio for playing by the local device, the remote service may specify that the audio is either background audio or foreground audio. For background audio, the service indicates whether the background audio is mixable. For foreground audio, the service indicates an interrupt behavior. When the local device is playing background audio and receives foreground audio, the background audio is paused, attenuated, or not changed based on the indicated interrupt behavior of the foreground audio and whether the background audio has been designated as being mixable.

Abstract: A voice controlled assistant has a housing to hold one or more microphones, one or more speakers, and various computing components. The housing has an elongated cylindrical body extending along a center axis between a base end and a top end. The microphone(s) are mounted in the top end and the speaker(s) are mounted proximal to the base end. The microphone(s) and speaker(s) are coaxially aligned along the center axis. The speaker(s) are oriented to output sound directionally toward the base end and opposite to the microphone(s) in the top end. The sound may then be redirected in a radial outward direction from the center axis at the base end so that the sound is output symmetric to, and equidistance from, the microphone(s).

Abstract: A natural language system may receive user-input. The user-input may include personal or restrictable information. The natural language system may provide a dual processing system. The natural language system may store a true copy of the user-input, which may include the personal or restrictable information. The natural language system may also generate an obfuscated copy of the user-input that does not contain personal or restricted information. The true copy of the user-input may be stored in a secure storage system and may be retrieved by authorized personnel, which may include the user who provided the user-input. The obfuscated copy of the user-input may be stored in a storage system and may be employed in ongoing training of the natural language system.

Abstract: A device includes a projection and camera system to create an augmented reality environment in which images are projected onto a scene and user movement within the scene is captured. The projection and camera system have a camera to image scattered IR light from the scene and compute time of flight values used in depth mapping of objects in the room. The system also has a projector to project the images onto the scene. The system controls the camera and projector mounted in a moveable head of a lamp with a motor mounted elsewhere in the lamp. In one implementation, the motor is mounted in the base of a table lamp.

Abstract: Techniques are described for projecting content onto surfaces and for focusing the content. When content is projected by a projector onto a surface, the surface is observed by a camera or other sensor, and the contrast of the projected content is evaluated. The projector then varies its focal point to improve or maximize the observed contrast of the projected content.

Abstract: Natural language controlled devices may be configured to activate command recognition in response to one or more wake words. Techniques are provided to enable a voice controlled system to detect or receive an indication of a secondary device available to be controlled. The voice controlled system communicates with the secondary device to obtain information related to the secondary device. The voice controlled system may output of an audio query requesting audio input data related to controlling the secondary device from a user and generate, based on the requested audio input data, recognition data utilized to recognize of at least part of one or more commands to issue one or more controls to the secondary device.