Abstract: A communication system includes an operator-side edge terminal connected to an operator terminal, wherein the operator-side edge terminal includes an I/O device configured for performing input and output of data to and from the operator terminal, a communication device for communicating with the kiosk terminal or a user-side edge terminal connected to the kiosk terminal via a network, and a controller, and wherein the controller is configured to perform a connection control for connection to the kiosk terminal or the user-side edge terminal and to perform a video transmission control of real-time transmission of a frontal video of the operator and a video of hands of the operator, both videos being shot by the operator terminal, and a frontal video of the user and a video of hands of the user, both videos being shot by the kiosk terminal.

Abstract: In order to enable a kiosk terminal to respond to a user for providing services in either way, through avatar-based communication with an avatar as a human proxy or through face-to-face communication with an operator, depending on the type of service required by the user, a controller of the kiosk terminal is configured such that, in an operator display mode, the controller displays the video of the operator on a monitor concurrently with outputting an original sound of the operator's voice from a speaker whereas, in an avatar display mode, the controller displays a video of an avatar, the avatar being generated based on feature information including operator's features extracted from the video of the operator, concurrently with outputting a converted sound from the speaker, the converted sound being generated by converting the original sound of the operator's voice to one suited for the avatar.

Abstract: A calibration method involves displaying on a monitor a frontal video of an upper body of the operator shot by a front-facing camera, the frontal video including a face of the operator, and a video of hands of the operator shot by a downward-facing camera from above; concurrently with displaying the frontal video and the video of the hands, displaying on the monitor a guidance video image as guidance information providing a guidance on a proper state of the operator's upper body in the frontal video and a guidance video image as guidance information providing a proper state of the operator's hands in the video of the hands; and, based on inputs which the operator provides according to the guidance information, adjusting the frontal video and the video of the hands.

Abstract: In order to enable a user operating a kiosk terminal to focus on the operation of the kiosk terminal while virtually eliminating any concerns about prying eyes, a controller of an operator terminal is configured such that, when a communication device receives a frontal-face video of the user, the frontal-face video being shot by a camera of the kiosk terminal such that the frontal-face video includes a background of the user, the controller displays the frontal-face video of the user on a monitor. The controller also performs face authentication on a person in the frontal-face video of the user, and upon detecting a suspicious person through the face authentication, the controller generates a screen in which identification information distinguishably identifying the user and the suspicious person has been added to the frontal-face video of the user, and displays the screen on the monitor.

Abstract: A communication system includes an operator-side edge terminal connected to an operator terminal, wherein the operator-side edge terminal includes an I/O device configured for performing input and output of data to and from the operator terminal, a communication device for communicating with the kiosk terminal or a user-side edge terminal connected to the kiosk terminal via a network, and a controller, and wherein the controller is configured to perform a connection control for connection to the kiosk terminal or the user-side edge terminal and to perform a video transmission control of real-time transmission of a frontal video of the operator and a video of hands of the operator, both videos being shot by the operator terminal, and a frontal video of the user and a video of hands of the user, both videos being shot by the kiosk terminal.

Abstract: In an information providing terminal, a half mirror, which reflects display content of a third display panel toward an operator and causes incident light of a third camera to pass therethrough, is obliquely attached to a part above a fourth display panel by 45° with respect to a horizontal direction. The third camera is disposed behind the half mirror. The operator has a conversation with a user while viewing a facial picture of the user which is projected by the third display panel and is reflected in the half mirror. The third camera disposed at a back of the half mirror images a facial picture of the operator from the front over the half mirror. At this time, the facial picture of the operator, which faces the front, is projected onto a first display panel of an information displaying terminal.

Abstract: In an information providing terminal, a display switching controller instructs to switch between pieces of display content of a third display panel from an image of a face of a user captured by a first camera to an image captured by any one of a second camera, a third camera, and a fourth camera. The display switching controller instructs to switch between pieces of display content of a fourth display panel from an image of hands of the user captured by the second camera to an image which is captured by any one of the first camera, the third camera, and the fourth camera.

Abstract: In an information providing terminal, a display switching controller instructs to switch between pieces of display content of a third display panel from an image of a face of a user captured by a first camera to an image captured by any one of a second camera, a third camera, and a fourth camera. The display switching controller instructs to switch between pieces of display content of a fourth display panel from an image of hands of the user captured by the second camera to an image which is captured by any one of the first camera, the third camera, and the fourth camera.

Abstract: In an information providing terminal, a half mirror, which reflects display content of a third display panel toward an operator and causes incident light of a third camera to pass therethrough, is obliquely attached to a part above a fourth display panel by 45° with respect to a horizontal direction. The third camera is disposed behind the half mirror. The operator has a conversation with a user while viewing a facial picture of the user which is projected by the third display panel and is reflected in the half mirror. The third camera disposed at a back of the half mirror images a facial picture of the operator from the front over the half mirror. At this time, the facial picture of the operator, which faces the front, is projected onto a first display panel of an information displaying terminal.

Abstract: It is possible to provide a sense of realism that a user actually faces a communication partner and to accurately and simply transmit information. In information display system (5), first display panel (21) displays a face and a part of an upper body of an operator op captured by third camera (63) and second display panel (22) displays hands of operator op captured by fourth camera (64) in information display terminal (10). In information provision terminal (50), third display panel (53) displays a face of the user captured by first camera (31), and fourth display panel (54) displays hands of the user captured by second camera (32).

Abstract: It is possible to provide a sense of realism that a user actually faces a communication partner and to accurately and simply transmit information. In information display system (5), first display panel (21) displays a face and a part of an upper body of an operator op captured by third camera (63) and second display panel (22) displays hands of operator op captured by fourth camera (64) in information display terminal (10). In information provision terminal (50), third display panel (53) displays a face of the user captured by first camera (31), and fourth display panel (54) displays hands of the user captured by second camera (32).

Abstract: A sound collecting control apparatus includes: a vehicle stop detector; a noise source direction specifier to specify a direction from the sound collector to a noise source of the vehicle stopped at the predetermined position; a search beam former that forms a plurality of search beams in the direction of the noise source specified by the noise source direction specifier and around the direction of the noise source so as to search for a sound source of a voice of a speaker in the vehicle; a search beam selector that selects a search beam corresponding to the sound source of the voice of the speaker in the vehicle from the plurality of search beams formed by the search beam former; and a directivity former that forms directivity of the sound collected by the sound collector in the direction corresponding to the search beam selected by the search beam selector.

Abstract: A sound collecting control apparatus includes: a vehicle stop detector; a noise source direction specifier to specify a direction from the sound collector to a noise source of the vehicle stopped at the predetermined position; a search beam former that forms a plurality of search beams in the direction of the noise source specified by the noise source direction specifier and around the direction of the noise source so as to search for a sound source of a voice of a speaker in the vehicle; a search beam selector that selects a search beam corresponding to the sound source of the voice of the speaker in the vehicle from the plurality of search beams formed by the search beam former; and a directivity former that forms directivity of the sound collected by the sound collector in the direction corresponding to the search beam selected by the search beam selector.

Abstract: A motion locus creation system which is capable of displaying the trajectory of movement of an object to be tracked in an understandable way even if using no 3D model information. A camera unit forms a detection flag indicating whether or not the object to be tracked has been able to be detected from a captured image. A motion locus-type selection section determines the display type of a motion locus according to the detection flag. A motion locus creation section produces a motion locus according to coordinate data acquired by a tag reader section and a motion locus-type instruction signal selected by the motion locus-type selection section.