Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking human hands using parts based template matching are described. One embodiment of the invention includes a processor, a reference camera and memory containing: a hand tracking application; and a finger template including an edge features template. In addition, the hand tracking application configures the processor to: detect at least one candidate finger in a frame of video data received from the reference camera, where each candidate finger is a grouping of pixels identified by searching the frame of video data for a grouping of pixels that have image gradient orientations that match the edge features of the finger template accounting for rotation and scaling differences; and verify the correct detection of a candidate finger by confirming that the colors of the pixels within the grouping of pixels identified as a candidate finger satisfy a skin color criterion.

Abstract: Systems and methods for initializing motion tracking of human hands within bounded regions are disclosed. One embodiment includes: a processor; reference and alternate view cameras; and memory containing a plurality of templates that are rotated and scaled versions of a base template. In addition, a hand tracking application configures the processor to: obtain reference and alternate view frames of video data; generate a depth map; identify at least one bounded region within the reference frame of video data containing pixels having distances from the reference camera that are within a specific range of distances; determine whether any of the pixels within the at least one bounded region are part of a human hand; track the motion of the part of the human hand in a sequence of frames of video data obtained from the reference camera; and confirm that the tracked motion corresponds to a predetermined initialization gesture.