Abstract: Techniques for automatically connecting to a service controller are described herein. In one example, a service controller device includes a processor and a computer-readable memory storage device storing executable instructions that cause the processor to broadcast at least one of an access credential, connection information or an access credential hash embedded in an audio signal. The processor can also authenticate a client device based on a transmission of at least one of the connection information, the access credential, or the access credential hash from the client device to the client connector and transmit data to the client device in response to authenticating the client device.

Abstract: A system described herein includes a receiver component that receives a first digital image from a color camera, wherein the first digital image comprises a planar object, and a second digital image from a depth sensor, wherein the second digital image comprises the planar object. The system also includes a calibrator component that jointly calibrates the color camera and the depth sensor based at least in part upon the first digital image and the second digital image.

Abstract: Videos are retargeted to a target display for viewing with little to no geometric distortion or video information loss. Salient regions of video frames may be determined using scale-space spatiotemporal information. Video information loss may be a result of spatial loss, due to cropping, and resolution loss, due to resizing. A desired cropping window may be determined using a coarse-to-fine searching strategy. Video frames may be cropped with a window that matches an aspect ratio of the target display, and resized isotropically to match a size of the target display.

Abstract: The described implementations relate to enhancement images, such as in videoconferencing scenarios. One system includes a poriferous display screen having generally opposing front and back surfaces. This system also includes a camera positioned proximate to the back surface to capture an image through the poriferous display screen.

Abstract: The description relates to facial tracking. One example can include an orientation structure configured to position the wearable device relative to a user's face. The example can also include a camera secured by the orientation structure parallel to or at a low angle to the user's face to capture images across the user's face. The example can further include a processor configured to receive the images and to map the images to parameters associated with an avatar model.

Abstract: The described implementations relate to enhancement images, such as in videoconferencing scenarios. One system includes a poriferous display screen having generally opposing front and back surfaces. This system also includes a camera positioned proximate to the back surface to capture an image through the poriferous display screen.

Abstract: A three-dimensional shape parameter computation system and method for computing three-dimensional human head shape parameters from two-dimensional facial feature points. A series of images containing a user's face is captured. Embodiments of the system and method deduce the 3D parameters of the user's head by examining a series of captured images of the user over time and in a variety of head poses and facial expressions, and then computing an average. An energy function is constructed over a batch of frames containing 2D face feature points obtained from the captured images, and the energy function is minimized to solve for the head shape parameters valid for the batch of frames. Head pose parameters and facial expression and animation parameters can vary over each captured image in the batch of frames. In some embodiments this minimization is performed using a modified Gauss-Newton minimization technique using a single iteration.

Abstract: The subject disclosure is directed towards reconstructing an approximate hair surface using refinement of hair strands. Hair strands are first extracted from 2D images of a camera array, and projected onto a 3D visual hull. The 3D positions of these strands are refined by optimizing an objective function that takes into account orientation consistency, a visual hull constraint and/or smoothness constraints defined at the strand, wisp and/or global levels.

Abstract: A three-dimensional shape parameter computation system and method for computing three-dimensional human head shape parameters from two-dimensional facial feature points. A series of images containing a user's face is captured. Embodiments of the system and method deduce the 3D parameters of the user's head by examining a series of captured images of the user over time and in a variety of head poses and facial expressions, and then computing an average. An energy function is constructed over a batch of frames containing 2D face feature points obtained from the captured images, and the energy function is minimized to solve for the head shape parameters valid for the batch of frames. Head pose parameters and facial expression and animation parameters can vary over each captured image in the batch of frames. In some embodiments this minimization is performed using a modified Gauss-Newton minimization technique using a single iteration.

Abstract: Described are systems and methods performed by computer to reduce crosstalk produced by loudspeakers when rendering binaural sound that is emitted from the loudspeakers into a room. The room may have sound-reflecting surfaces that reflect some of the sound produced by the loudspeakers. To reduce crosstalk, a room model stored by the computer, is accessed. The room model models at least sound reflected by one or more of the physical surfaces. The room model is used to calculate a model of an audio channel from the loudspeakers to a listener. The model of the audio channel models sound transmission from the loudspeakers to the listener. The computer uses the model of the audio channel to cancel crosstalk from the loudspeakers when rendering the binaural sound.

Abstract: Multi-device capture and spatial browsing of conferences is described. In one implementation, a system detects cameras and microphones, such as the webcams on participants' notebook computers, in a conference room, group meeting, or table game, and enlists an ad-hoc array of available devices to capture each participant and the spatial relationships between participants. A video stream composited from the array is browsable by a user to navigate a 3-dimensional representation of the meeting. Each participant may be represented by a video pane, a foreground object, or a 3-D geometric model of the participant's face or body displayed in spatial relation to the other participants in a 3-dimensional arrangement analogous to the spatial arrangement of the meeting. The system may automatically re-orient the 3-dimensional representation as needed to best show a currently interesting event.

Abstract: A temporal information integration dis-occlusion system and method for using historical data to reconstruct a virtual view containing an occluded area. Embodiments of the system and method use temporal information of the scene captured previously to obtain a total history. This total history is warped onto information captured by a camera at a current time in order to help reconstruct the dis-occluded areas. The historical data (or frames) from the total history match only a portion of the frames contained in the captured information. This warping yields warped history information. Warping is performed by using one of two embodiments to match points in an estimation of the current information to points in the captured information. Next, regions of current information are split using a classifier. The warped history information and the captured information then are merged to obtain an estimate for the current information and the reconstructed virtual view.

Abstract: A training set for a post-filter classifier is created from the output of a face detector. The face detector can be a Viola Jones face detector. Face detectors produce false positives and true positives. The regions in the training set are labeled so that false positives are labeled negative and true positives are labeled positive. The labeled training set is used to train a post-filter classifier. The post-filter classifier can be an SVM (Support Vector Machine). The trained face detection classifier is placed at the end of a face detection pipeline comprising a face detector, one or more feature extractors and the trained post-filter classifier. The post-filter reduces the number of false positives in the face detector output while keeping the number of true positives almost unchanged using features different from the Haar features used by the face detector.

Abstract: The subject disclosure is directed towards reconstructing an approximate hair surface using refinement of hair strands. Hair strands are first extracted from 2D images of a camera array, and projected onto a 3D visual hull. The 3D positions of these strands are refined by optimizing an objective function that takes into account orientation consistency, a visual hull constraint and/or smoothness constraints defined at the strand, wisp and/or global levels.

Abstract: Techniques and technologies are described herein for motion parallax three-dimensional (3D) imaging. Such techniques and technologies do not require special glasses, virtual reality helmets, or other user-attachable devices. More particularly, some of the described motion parallax 3D imaging techniques and technologies generate sequential images, including motion parallax depictions of various scenes derived from clues in views obtained of or created for the displayed scene.

Abstract: The subject disclosure is directed towards an immersive conference, in which participants in separate locations are brought together into a common virtual environment (scene), such that they appear to each other to be in a common space, with geometry, appearance, and real-time natural interaction (e.g., gestures) preserved. In one aspect, depth data and video data are processed to place remote participants in the common scene from the first person point of view of a local participant. Sound data may be spatially controlled, and parallax computed to provide a realistic experience. The scene may be augmented with various data, videos and other effects/animations.

Abstract: Multi-device capture and spatial browsing of conferences is described. In one implementation, a system detects cameras and microphones, such as the webcams on participants' notebook computers, in a conference room, group meeting, or table game, and enlists an ad-hoc array of available devices to capture each participant and the spatial relationships between participants. A video stream composited from the array is browsable by a user to navigate a 3-dimensional representation of the meeting. Each participant may be represented by a video pane, a foreground object, or a 3-D geometric model of the participant's face or body displayed in spatial relation to the other participants in a 3-dimensional arrangement analogous to the spatial arrangement of the meeting. The system may automatically re-orient the 3-dimensional representation as needed to best show a currently interesting event.

Abstract: A temporal information integration dis-occlusion system and method for using historical data to reconstruct a virtual view containing an occluded area. Embodiments of the system and method use temporal information of the scene captured previously to obtain a total history. This total history is warped onto information captured by a camera at a current time in order to help reconstruct the dis-occluded areas. The historical data (or frames) from the total history match only a portion of the frames contained in the captured information. This warping yields warped history information. Warping is performed by using one of two embodiments to match points in an estimation of the current information to points in the captured information. Next, regions of current information are split using a classifier. The warped history information and the captured information then are merged to obtain an estimate for the current information and the reconstructed virtual view.

Abstract: Multi-device capture and spatial browsing of conferences is described. In one implementation, a system detects cameras and microphones, such as the webcams on participants' notebook computers, in a conference room, group meeting, or table game, and enlists an ad-hoc array of available devices to capture each participant and the spatial relationships between participants. A video stream composited from the array is browsable by a user to navigate a 3-dimensional representation of the meeting. Each participant may be represented by a video pane, a foreground object, or a 3-D geometric model of the participant's face or body displayed in spatial relation to the other participants in a 3-dimensional arrangement analogous to the spatial arrangement of the meeting.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting people or speakers in an automated fashion are disclosed. A pool of features including more than one type of input (like audio input and video input) may be identified and used with a learning algorithm to generate a classifier that identifies people or speakers. The resulting classifier may be evaluated to detect people or speakers.