Abstract: To generate a pixel-accurate depth map, data from a range-estimation sensor (e.g., a time-of flight sensor) is combined with data from multiple cameras to produce a high-quality depth measurement for pixels in an image. To do so, a depth measurement system may use a plurality of cameras mounted on a support structure to perform a depth hypothesis technique to generate a first depth-support value. Furthermore, the apparatus may include a range-estimation sensor which generates a second depth-support value. In addition, the system may project a 3D point onto the auxiliary cameras and compare the color of the associated pixel in the auxiliary camera with the color of the pixel in reference camera to generate a third depth-support value. The system may combine these support values for each pixel in an image to determine respective depth values. Using these values, the system may generate a depth map for the image.

Abstract: A method is provided for an optimized stereoscopic camera with low processing overhead, especially suitable for real-time applications. By constructing a viewer-centric and scene-centric model, the mapping of scene depth to perceived depth may be defined as an optimization problem, for which a solution is analytically derived based on constraints to stereoscopic camera parameters including interaxial separation and convergence distance. The camera parameters may thus be constrained prior to rendering to maintain a desired perceived depth volume around a stereoscopic display, for example to ensure user comfort or provide artistic effects. To compensate for sudden scene depth changes due to unpredictable camera or object movements, as may occur with real-time applications such as video games, the constraints may also be temporally interpolated to maintain a linearly corrected and approximately constant perceived depth range over time.

Abstract: A method of stimulating a deformable object comprises modeling deformable elasticity for the object by defining an actual shape and a goal shape and pulling points in the goal shape towards corresponding points in the goal shape.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for estimating depth in a scene. According to one aspect, regions where the depth estimation is expected to perform well may first be identified in full-resolution epipolar-plane images (EPIs) generated from a plurality of images of the scene. Depth estimates for EPI-pixels with high edge confidence are determined by testing a number of discrete depth hypotheses and picking depths that lead to highest color density of sampled EPI-pixels. The depth estimate may also be propagated throughout the EPIs. This process of depth estimation and propagation may be iterated until all EPI-pixels with high edge confidence have been processed, and all EPIs may also be processed in this manner. The EPIs are then iteratively downsampled to coarser resolutions, at which edge confidence for EPI-pixels not yet processed are determined, depth estimates of EPI-pixels with high edge confidence made, and depth estimates propagated throughout the EPIs.

Abstract: There is provided a posture guided design system and a method for use in producing a posture guided design of a deformable object. In one implementation, such a method includes identifying a target posture for the deformable object, and determining locations of actuators for producing the target posture. The method also includes modeling the deformable object using at least one material so as to enable the deformable object to substantially reproduce the target posture. In some implementations, the method includes modeling the deformable object using at least two materials, wherein a distribution of the at least two materials is determined so as to enable the deformable object to substantially reproduce the target posture.

Abstract: Estimating a pose of an articulated 3D object model (4) by a computer is done by •obtaining a sequence of source images (10) and therefrom corresponding source image segments (13) with objects (14) separated from the image background; •matching such a sequence (51) with sequences (52) of reference silhouettes (13?), determining one or more selected sequences of reference silhouettes (13?) forming a best match; •for each of these selected sequences of reference silhouettes (13?), retrieving a reference pose that is associated with one of the reference silhouettes (13?); and •computing an estimate of the pose of the articulated object model (4) from the retrieved reference pose or poses. The result of these steps is an initial pose estimate, which then can be used in further steps, for example, for maintaining local consistency between pose estimates from consecutive frames, and global consistency over a longer sequence of frames.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for applying physics-based simulation to an animator provided rig. The disclosure presents equations of motions for simulations performed in the subspace of deformations defined by an animator's rig. The method receives an input rig with a plurality of deformation parameters, and the dynamics of the character are simulated in the subspace of deformations described by the character's rig. An artist's control of the simulation can be enhanced by providing a method that transforms stiffness values defined on rig parameters to a non-homogeneous distribution of material parameters for the underlying rig.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for applying physics-based simulation to an animator provided rig. The disclosure presents equations of motions for simulations performed in the subspace of deformations defined by an animator's rig. The method receives an input rig with a plurality of deformation parameters, and the dynamics of the character are simulated in the subspace of deformations described by the character's rig. An artist's control of the simulation can be enhanced by providing a method that transforms stiffness values defined on rig parameters to a non-homogeneous distribution of material parameters for the underlying rig.

Abstract: An animation system can vectorize an image by generating, from an input drawing, a dataset corresponding to vector and digital representations of the input drawing such that a rendering engine could render an image having features in common with the input drawing from the representations, as a collection of strokes and/or objects rather than merely a collection of pixels having pixel color values. A vectorizer might receive an input image, generate a particle clustering data structure from a digitization of the input image, generate a stroke list, wherein strokes in the stroke list correspond to clusters of particles represented in the particle clustering data structure, generate a graph structure that represents connections between strokes on the stroke list, and determine additional characteristics of a stroke beyond the path of the stroke, additional characteristics being stored such that they correspond to strokes. The strokes might be generated using global topology information.

Abstract: A system for estimating a spacecraft (6) position is disclosed. It includes receiving stations (4) for receiving signals transmitted from the spacecraft (6) and a processing station (2) for receiving data from the receiving stations (4). Each receiving station (4) records, during a recording window (8), the signals transmitted from the spacecraft (6) and transmits, to the processing station (2), data representing the recorded signals during the recording window (8). The recording windows (8) associated with each of the receiving stations (4) are offset and/or of different size with respect to each other. The processing station (2) correlates the recorded signals to estimate the distance difference between the spacecraft (6) and each of a plurality of receiving stations and to estimate the spacecraft (6) position. A method, a receiving station (4), a processing station (2) and a computer program are also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of correcting an image are provided. The apparatus includes a receiver to receive a depth value and a luminous intensity, the depth value and the luminous intensity being measured by at least one depth sensor, and a correction unit to read a correction depth value of a plurality of correction depth values mapped to different depth values and different luminous intensities from a first storage unit and to correct the measured depth value using the read correction depth value, the correction depth value being mapped to the measured depth value and the measured luminous intensity.

Abstract: An integrated system and method for content-aware video retargeting. An interactive framework combines key frame-based constraint editing with numerous automatic algorithms for video analysis. This combination gives content producers a high level of control of the retargeting process. One component of the framework is a non-uniform, pixel-accurate warp to the target resolution that considers automatic as well as interactively-defined features. Automatic features comprise video saliency, edge preservation at the pixel resolution, and scene cut detection to enforce bilateral temporal coherence. Additional high level constraints can be added by the producer to achieve a consistent scene composition across arbitrary output formats. Advantageously, embodiments of the invention provide a better visual result for retargeted video when compared to using conventional techniques.

Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for stereoscopically editing video content. In one embodiment, image pairs of a sequence may be stereoscopically modified by altering at least one image of the image pair. The at least one image may be altered using at least one mapping function. The at least one image may also be altered based on a saliency of the image pair. The at least one image may also be altered based on disparities between the image pair. Advantageously, stereoscopic properties of video content may be edited more conveniently and efficiently.

Abstract: A method for the computer-assisted learning of orthography, the method includes executing by a data processing system the steps of retrieving a main set of words from a data storage; retrieving an error data set associated with said main set of words from the data storage and repeatedly executing the steps of selecting a word to prompt the user with, by computing, for each word from the error data set, a statistic measure related to the probability of an error occurring in the word, and selecting the word which has the maximum value of the statistic measure; prompting the user with the word; accepting a user input specifying a sequence of symbols; comparing the user input with the word and updating and storing the error data set.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating a three-dimensional model of an object. The method includes generating a coarse geometry mesh of the object; calculating an optimization for the coarse geometry mesh based on photometric consistency and surface consistency associated with the coarse geometry mesh; and refining the coarse geometry mesh with the optimization to generate the three-dimensional model for the object.

Abstract: A method of stimulating a deformable object comprises modeling deformable elasticity for the object by defining an actual shape and a goal shape and pulling points in the goal shape towards corresponding points in the goal shape.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating a stereoscopic pair of images from a monoscopic image input are described. At least one brushstroke input corresponding to a location in the monoscopic image is received. A saliency map and edge map of the monoscopic image are computed. A first image warp and a second image warp are computed using the at least one brushstroke, the saliency map, and the edge map. A stereoscopic pair of images are generated from the first image warp and the second image warp.

Abstract: In an object generation system, consumable base materials are characterized in a characterization process wherein an object generation system can use a plurality of so-characterized base materials. User input representing a desired object and set of characteristics for that desired object are processed, using a computer or computing device, to derive a mapping of locations for placement of portions of the plurality of base materials such that when the mapping is provided to an object generator, the generated object approximates the representing a desired object and set of characteristics. The characterization of a base material might include elasticity of the base material, the user input might be a desired shape and elasticity, the object generator might be a 3D multi-material printer and the generated object might at least approximate the desired shape and elasticity as a result of being constructed from the plurality of base materials used by the printer.

Abstract: A multi-planar plenoptic display assembly is provided that includes multiple spatially-varying light emitting and light modulating planes. The display assembly includes at least one light emitting device and may include, but does not require, a modulating device used in conjunction according to display methods taught herein to display light field data. A display assembly controller may be used to render a light field with depth into a multi-planar plenoptic display assembly by assigning decomposed portions of the light field to the display assembly for display or presentation by differing ones of the emitting elements and by operating a modulating device to provide a parallax barrier. In one embodiment, a dynamic parallax barrier and a number of bi-state screens. Another embodiment uses a beam splitter to co-locate two pairs of autostereoscopic displays each including a projector projecting 3D content, a parallax barrier, and an emissive/projector element.