Abstract: Controlling an event in a virtual environment is disclosed. A video image from one or more video cameras is received. A video enhanced script is executed to display the virtual environment in a video display within a web browser. An event in the virtual environment is controlled based on the video image. The video enhanced script is configured to communicate with a web browser extension module.

Abstract: Controlling an event in a virtual environment is disclosed. A video image from one or more video cameras is received. A video enhanced script is executed to display the virtual environment in a video display within a web browser. An event in the virtual environment is controlled based on the video image. The video enhanced script is configured to communicate with a web browser extension module.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for executing a setup protocol. A camera and a visual display device are coupled to a computer. Images are generated by the camera upon activation of the camera. A series of setup tests are then conducted on the images generated by the camera to determine whether the camera and surrounding environmental elements satisfy predetermined criteria of an intended computer vision application for optimal running of the intended computer vision application on the computer. The series of setup tests comprises at least one setup test selected from a library of setup tests.

Abstract: A method is provided for conducting commerce over a network via vision-enabled content. First, content is encoded to convert it into vision-enabled content. Payment is received for vision-enabling the content. Also, a program to decode the vision-enabled content is provided. Finally, the vision-enabled content is sent to a user over a network. The program decodes the vision-enabled content and receives an image of the user. The vision-enabled content may include advertising content, entertainment content, and educational or instructional content. In one embodiment, the program combines the image of the user with the vision-enabled content. In another embodiment, the program utilizes the image of the user to control the vision-enabled content.

Abstract: A background subtraction apparatus of the present invention includes a key point locator for locating key points on a known object type, a boundary point locator for locating boundary points of the known object that make up the edges of the known object, and an edge processor for processing the edges to provide a clean-edged extraction of the known object from a background image. Preferably, the key point locator includes an alignment detector for detecting alignment of an image of the known object type with a skeleton image. Still more preferably, the skeleton image is an exoskeleton image and the known object type is a human being.