Abstract: Technologies for distributed generation of an avatar with a facial expression corresponding to a facial expression of a user include capturing real-time video of a user of a local computing device. The computing device extracts facial parameters of the user's facial expression using the captured video and transmits the extracted facial parameters to a server. The server generates an avatar video of an avatar having a facial expression corresponding to the user's facial expression as a function of the extracted facial parameters and transmits the avatar video to a remote computing device.

Abstract: Technologies for generating an avatar with a facial expression corresponding to a facial expression of a user include capturing a reference user image of the user on a computing device when the user is expressing a reference facial expression for registration. The computing device generates reference facial measurement data based on the captured reference user image and compares the reference facial measurement data with facial measurement data of a corresponding reference expression of the avatar to generate facial comparison data. After a user has been registered, the computing device captures a real-time facial expression of the user and generates real-time facial measurement data based on the captured real-time image. The computing device applies the facial comparison data to the real-time facial measurement data to generate modified expression data, which is used to generate an avatar with a facial expression corresponding with the facial expression of the user.

Abstract: A thread scheduler may be used in a chip multiprocessor or symmetric multiprocessor system to schedule threads to processors. The scheduler may determine the bandwidth utilization of the two threads in combination and whether that utilization exceeds the threshold value. If so, the threads may be scheduled on different processor clusters that do not have the same paths between the common memory and the processors. If not, then the threads may be allocated on the same processor cluster that shares cache among processors.

Abstract: Generally, this disclosure provides methods and systems for dynamic control of display brightness in different regions of the display based on window configuration and content. The method may include determining regions of interest to a user on the display; adjusting the display brightness in the regions of interest to a first level of brightness; and adjusting the display brightness in regions outside of the regions of interest to a second level of brightness, such that the second level of brightness is lower than the first level of brightness. The dynamic adjustment of display brightness in different regions of the display may reduce power consumption by the display.

Abstract: Generally this disclosure describes interactive media methods and systems. A method may include capturing an image, detecting at least one face in the image, determining an identity and expression corresponding to the at least one face, generating an icon for the at least one face based on the corresponding expression, and displaying the icon on a video monitor.

Abstract: Avatars are animated using predetermined avatar images that are selected based on facial features of a user extracted from video of the user. A user's facial features are tracked in a live video, facial feature parameters are determined from the tracked features, and avatar images are selected based on the facial feature parameters. The selected images are then displayed are sent to another device for display. Selecting and displaying different avatar images as a user's facial movements change animates the avatar. An avatar image can be selected from a series of avatar images representing a particular facial movement, such as blinking. An avatar image can also be generated from multiple avatar feature images selected from multiple avatar feature image series associated with different regions of a user's face (eyes, mouth, nose, eyebrows), which allows different regions of the avatar to be animated independently.

Abstract: Various embodiments are generally directed to cooperation among networked devices to obtain and use a multiple-frame screenshot. In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a processor circuit executing instructions that cause the processor circuit to receive a signal conveying a video stream from a source device; visually present video frames of the video stream on a display associated with the apparatus; maintain a rolling buffer comprising a plurality of video frames; recurringly update the plurality of video frames to represent a subset of video frames of the video stream most recently presented on the display; receive a signal indicative of a capture command; and preserve the subset of video frames as a multiple-frame screenshot in response to the capture command.

Abstract: A video communication system that replaces actual live images of the participating users with animated avatars. The system allows generation, rendering and animation of a two-dimensional (2-D) avatar of a user's face. The 2-D avatar represents a user's basic face shape and key facial characteristics, including, but not limited to, position and shape of the eyes, nose, mouth, and face contour. The system further allows adaptive rendering for displaying allow different scales of the 2-D avatar to be displayed on associated different sized displays of user devices.

Abstract: A cost-effective and computationally efficient hand gesture recognition system for detecting and/or tracking a face region and/or a hand region in a series of images. A skin segmentation model is updated with skin pixel information from the face and iteratively applied to the pixels in the hand region, to more accurately identify the pixels in the hand region given current lighting conditions around the image. Shape features are then extracted from the image, and based on the shape features, a hand gesture is identified in the image. The identified hand gesture may be used to generate a command signal to control the operation of an application or system.

Abstract: Generally this disclosure describes a method for controlling the operation of a system based on a determination of content that is airing on a channel. A method may include transmitting at least one message including instructions to sample content from a channel, receiving a message indicating that certain content on the channel is complete, and activating a notification indicating that the certain content on the channel is complete. Another method may include receiving a message including instructions to sample content from a channel, sampling content from the channel, transmitting a message including the content sample, receiving a message comprising information related to the content sample, and determining whether certain content is complete on the channel based on the received information.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, articles, and methods are described including operations for a 3D graphical user interface.

Abstract: Generally this disclosure describes a video communication system that replaces actual live images of the participating users with animated avatars. A method may include selecting an avatar; initiating communication; detecting a user input; identifying the user input; identifying an animation command based on the user input; generating avatar parameters; and transmitting at least one of the animation command and the avatar parameters.

Abstract: A cost-effective and computationally efficient hand gesture recognition system for detecting and/or tracking a face region and/or a hand region in a series of images. A skin segmentation model is updated with skin pixel information from the face and iteratively applied to the pixels in the hand region, to more accurately identify the pixels in the hand region given current lighting conditions around the image. Shape features are then extracted from the image, and based on the shape features, a hand gesture is identified in the image. The identified hand gesture may be used to generate a command signal to control the operation of an application or system.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and articles associated with gesture recognition using depth images are disclosed herein. In various embodiments, an apparatus may include a face detection engine configured to determine whether a face is present in one or more gray images of respective image frames generated by a depth camera, and a hand tracking engine configured to track a hand in one or more depth images generated by the depth camera. The apparatus may further include a feature extraction and gesture inference engine configured to extract features based on results of the tracking by the hand tracking engine, and infer a hand gesture based at least in part on the extracted features. Other embodiments may also be disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A device, method and system of screenshot grabbing and sharing comprise projecting contents on a display device connected with a communication device; and grabbing a screenshot from the contents projected on the display device, in response to a screenshot grabbing request from another communication module connected with the communication device.

Abstract: A video communication system that replaces actual live images of the participating users with animated avatars. A method may include selecting an avatar, initiating communication, capturing an image, detecting a face in the image, determining facial characteristics from the face, including eye movement and eyelid movement of a user indicative of direction of user gaze and blinking, respectively, converting the facial features to avatar parameters, and transmitting at least one of the avatar selection or avatar parameters.

Abstract: Apparatuses, storage medium and methods associated with emulating a storage medium with media files to a display device are disclosed herein. In embodiments, an adapter device may include a peripheral interface to couple the adapter device to the display device emulating the storage medium. The adapter device may further include one or more logic units coupled to the peripheral interface to provide the display device with a playlist of one or more media files (established on instructions of a mobile device), and in response to a selection of one of the one or more media files by the display device, provide the display device with media content associated with the selected media file, emulating the storage medium. In embodiments, the one or more logic units may capture one or more images for the mobile device to conduct online transactions. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and articles associated with gesture recognition using depth images are disclosed herein. In various embodiments, an apparatus may include a face detection engine configured to determine whether a face is present in one or more gray images of respective image frames generated by a depth camera, and a hand tracking engine configured to track a hand in one or more depth images generated by the depth camera. The apparatus may further include a feature extraction and gesture inference engine configured to extract features based on results of the tracking by the hand tracking engine, and infer a hand gesture based at least in part on the extracted features. Other embodiments may also be disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: Techniques for media quality control may include receiving media information and determining the quality of the media information. The media information may be presented when the quality of the media information meets a quality control threshold. A warning may be generated when the quality of the media information does not meet the quality control threshold. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and articles associated with face recognition login, social network and video chat are disclosed herein. In various embodiments, an apparatus may include a networking interface, and a face recognition based controller configured to determine whether a user is watching a television, based on image frames of a video signal generated by a camera. The controller may be further configured to transmit a login request, via the network interface, to a server associated with a social network, on determination that the user is watching the television, to log the user into the social network, and enabling video chat. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.