Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for creating freely explorable, dynamic and photorealistic virtual environments, reconstructing view dependent holograms in real-time, and inserting 3D virtual objects into 360 camera based navigable environment. A method, may include simultaneously capturing 360 video data and audio data from a plurality of viewpoints within a real-world environment. The method may also include preprocessing and compressing the 360 video data and the audio data into a three-dimensional representation suitable for display. The method may further include rendering a virtual environment of the real-world environment. In addition, the method may include creating a blended virtual environment by combining the captured 360 video data and the audio data with the rendered virtual environment. Further, the method may include displaying the blended virtual environment in a display apparatus of a user.

Abstract: An end-user system in accordance with the present disclosure includes a communication device configured to communicate with a server, a display screen, one or more processors, and at least one memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor(s), cause the end-user system to access a physical world geographical location from a user, access two-dimensional physical world map data for a region surrounding the physical world geographical location, render for display on the display screen a three-dimensional mirrored world portion based on the two-dimensional physical world map data and render an avatar at a mirrored world location corresponding to the physical world geographical location, access geotagged social media posts which have geotags in the region and which the user is permitted to view, and render the geotagged social media posts as three-dimensional objects in the mirrored world portion.

Abstract: An end-user system in accordance with the present disclosure includes a communication device configured to communicate with a server, a display screen, one or more processors, and at least one memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor(s), cause the end-user system to access a physical world geographical location from a user, access two-dimensional physical world map data for a region surrounding the physical world geographical location, render for display on the display screen a three-dimensional mirrored world portion based on the two-dimensional physical world map data and render an avatar at a mirrored world location corresponding to the physical world geographical location, access geotagged social media posts which have geotags in the region and which the user is permitted to view, and render the geotagged social media posts as three-dimensional objects in the mirrored world portion.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for creating freely explorable, dynamic and photorealistic virtual environments, reconstructing view dependent holograms in real-time, and inserting 3D virtual objects into 360 camera based navigable environment. A method, may include simultaneously capturing 360 video data and audio data from a plurality of viewpoints within a real-world environment. The method may also include preprocessing and compressing the 360 video data and the audio data into a three-dimensional representation suitable for display. The method may further include rendering a virtual environment of the real-world environment. In addition, the method may include creating a blended virtual environment by combining the captured 360 video data and the audio data with the rendered virtual environment. Further, the method may include displaying the blended virtual environment in a display apparatus of a user.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for managing building energy utilization are provided. One method may include detecting movement of the catheter as it is being inserted into an object, and calculating a location of an area of the catheter that is embedded in the object. The method may also include generating a virtual image of the embedded portion of the catheter based on the detected movement of the catheter and location of the area of the catheter that is embedded. The method may further include transmitting the virtual image of the embedded area of the catheter to a display unit. Further, the method may include overlaying the virtual image in a user's field of view in the display unit to mimic the position of the entire catheter including the area embedded in the object.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods for creating a rendering of real-world locations with embedded multimedia elements. An exemplary method includes receiving image data of a real-world location, identifying geographic coordinates of the real-world location and/or a point of view from which the image data was acquired, acquiring multimedia elements relevant to the real-world location based on the geographic coordinates and/or the point of view, and creating a rendering of the image data with the multimedia elements embedded therein.

Abstract: Various communication systems may benefit from improved depth perception of images. For example, it may be helpful to enhance depth perception of a three-dimensional rendering of an image. A method, according to certain embodiments, may include acquiring at an apparatus a pair of images. The method may also include computing an energy map based on one or more kinetic parameters of the pair of images. In addition, the method may include generating a kinetic depth image based on the energy map.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods for creating a rendering of real-world locations with embedded multimedia elements. An exemplary method includes receiving image data of a real-world location, identifying geographic coordinates of the real-world location and/or a point of view from which the image data was acquired, acquiring multimedia elements relevant to the real-world location based on the geographic coordinates and/or the point of view, and creating a rendering of the image data with the multimedia elements embedded therein.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for determining and modifying saliency of a visual medium are provided. The method, system and apparatus may obtain saliency values for a visual medium based on a plurality of visual channels. The saliency values may be obtained based on at least one of computer-generated modeling, user-specified input and eye-tracking. The method, system and apparatus may aggregate the obtained saliency values and classify regions of the visual medium based on the aggregated saliency values. The visual channels may include one or more of absolute mean curvature, a gradient of mean curvature, a gradient of color intensity, color luminance, color opponency, color saturation, lighting and focus. When calculating mean curvature, the method, system and apparatus may calculate a change in mean curvature for a plurality of vertices around a region and displace the vertices in accordance with the calculated change in mean curvature to change a saliency of the region.

Abstract: A multifunctional interaction system which is capable of spatio-temporal context localization of users and of communication of audio/video streams to an entity of interest defined by the user, includes a communication domain supporting a predefined localization service, a server associated with the communication domain, client devices, and a dynamically changing context database which is customized in accord with the dynamics of interaction sessions of client devices with the server. The client communicates with the system to either request services therefrom or to send a message to the entity of interest. The system is provided with a panic alert mechanism which, upon actuation, transmits an audio/video data stream along with the client location tag, time stamp, and client ID, to a police precinct for prompt action.

Abstract: A multifunctional interaction system which is capable of spatio-temporal context localization of users and of communication of audio/video streams to an entity of interest defined by the user, includes a communication domain supporting a predefined localization service, a server associated with the communication domain, client devices, and a dynamically changing context database which is customized in accord with the dynamics of interaction sessions of client devices with the server. The client communicates with the system to either request services therefrom or to send a message to the entity of interest. The system is provided with a panic alert mechanism which, upon actuation, transmits an audio/video data stream along with the client location tag, time stamp, and client ID, to a police precinct for prompt action.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for determining and modifying saliency of a visual medium are provided. The method, system and apparatus may obtain saliency values for a visual medium based on a plurality of visual channels. The saliency values may be obtained based on at least one of computer-generated modeling, user-specified input and eye-tracking. The method, system and apparatus may aggregate the obtained saliency values and classify regions of the visual medium based on the aggregated saliency values. The visual channels may include one or more of absolute mean curvature, a gradient of mean curvature, a gradient of color intensity, color luminance, color opponency, color saturation, lighting and focus. When calculating mean curvature, the method, system and apparatus may calculate a change in mean curvature for a plurality of vertices around a region and displace the vertices in accordance with the calculated change in mean curvature to change a saliency of the region.

Abstract: A system and method for entering text in a virtual environment by sensory gloves. The user enters a key that represents one or more letters by simulating a press of a keyboard in the gloves. The user calibrates the gloves by entering text, during which time the system establishes threshold values that represent simulated presses for each finger. After the initial calibration of the sensory gloves, the user enters text with simulated finger presses. The system distinguishes which movements are intended as simulated finger presses by examining the relative motions of fingers and maintaining dynamic thresholds. Errors are alleviated by providing feedback to the user, such as beeps and a visual display of the fingers and the current text. Because keys may represent more than one character, the system determines the intended text by probabilistic analysis and the Viterbi algorithm.