Abstract: Disclosed in embodiments of the present application is a heterogeneous micro-optics imaging module, including: a micro-optics unit, including multiple optical zones optically shielded from each other, wherein optical parameters of at least two optical zones among multiple optical zones are different from each other; an image sensing unit, provided on a side of the micro-optics unit away from an exterior reflection source, used for converting light processed through multiple optical zones of the micro-optics unit into multiple corresponding image signals.

Abstract: A method for recognizing hand gestures when the hand is held in front of the user's upper body. The method detects dominant features associated with the upper body, including features on the face (eyes and mouth etc.) and the shoulder extremes. Geometrical relations among these features are used to judge whether the face/head has turned to the side relative to the shoulder. If not, a face-shoulder coordinate system is established using these face-shoulder features, and the hand images are transformed into this new coordinate system. This in effect defines hand gestures relative to the user's face and shoulder, thus significantly reducing the dimensions of the feature space for hand gestures. This face-shoulder coordinate transform can be combined either with traditional appearance-based hand gesture recognition methods, or with a conventional or hybrid deep neural network for RGB or RGB-D images.

Abstract: A method for recognizing hand gestures when the hand is held in front of the user's upper body. The method detects dominant features associated with the upper body, including features on the face (eyes and mouth etc.) and the shoulder extremes. Geometrical relations among these features are used to judge whether the face/head has turned to the side relative to the shoulder. If not, a face-shoulder coordinate system is established using these face-shoulder features, and the hand images are transformed into this new coordinate system. This in effect defines hand gestures relative to the user's face and shoulder, thus significantly reducing the dimensions of the feature space for hand gestures. This face-shoulder coordinate transform can be combined either with traditional appearance-based hand gesture recognition methods, or with a conventional or hybrid deep neural network for RGB or RGB-D images.

Abstract: Optoelectronic systems include an array of optoelectronic modules and a computational unit. The array of optoelectronic modules and the computational unit are operable to collect data of a user of the optoelectronic system. The data can be used, for example, to authenticate the identity of the user by being used in multiple user authentication protocols. In some instances, facial recognition data can be augmented with three-dimensional data of the user and can be combined with iris recognition data to authenticate the identity of the user. Such optoelectronic systems can comprise hardware authentication systems external to auxiliary devices such as tablet computers and laptop computers.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an optoelectronic system and methods for efficiently capturing three-dimensional data. The optoelectronic system includes a three-dimensional imaging module and a distance measuring module. Data collected via the distance measuring module is used to collect three-dimensional data, such as three-dimensional maps or other representations of three-dimensional objects. Further, the approach can be extended to multiple regions of interest, and can be applied to the acquisition of biometric data.

Abstract: A method, a computer program product, and a system for analyzing exam-taking behavior and improving exam-taking skills are disclosed, the method includes obtaining a student answering sequence and timing to an examination having a series of questions; comparing the student answering sequence and timing with results from a statistic analysis of the examination obtained from a plurality of students; and identifying an abnormality in the student answering sequence and timing according to the comparison.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and a system for enhancing an interaction between a teacher and a student are disclosed, the method includes receiving video images of a region of interest from a plurality of multi-functional devices; comparing the video images of the region of interest received from the plurality of multi-functional devices; detecting differences in the region of interest of at least one multi-functional device in comparison to the region of interest of the plurality of multi-functional devices; and providing a signal to the at least one multi-functional device based on the detected difference in the region of interest.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes compact remote eye tracking systems that include depth sensing capacity. In one aspect, a method of eye tracking includes illuminating a subject's eye with illumination; detecting, in a depth sensor, optical signals reflected from the subject's face in response to the illumination; generating a depth map based on the optical signals detected by the depth sensor; acquiring an intensity image based on optical signals reflected from the subject's face in response to the illumination; determining, based on a portion of the depth map corresponding to the subject's eye, an estimated distance between the subject's eye and a target screen; determining an estimated gaze direction of the subject's eye based on information obtained from the intensity image; and determining, based on the estimated gaze direction and the estimated distance between the subject's eye and the target screen, a gaze point for the subject's eye.

Abstract: Optoelectronic systems include an array of optoelectronic modules and a computational unit. The array of optoelectronic modules and the computational unit are operable to collect data of a user of the optoelectronic system. The data can be used, for example, to authenticate the identity of the user by being used in multiple user authentication protocols. In some instances, facial recognition data can be augmented with three-dimensional data of the user and can be combined with iris recognition data to authenticate the identity of the user. Such optoelectronic systems can comprise hardware authentication systems external to auxiliary devices such as tablet computers and laptop computers.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes compact remote eye tracking systems that include depth sensing capacity. In one aspect, a method of eye tracking includes illuminating a subject's eye with illumination; detecting, in a depth sensor, optical signals reflected from the subject's face in response to the illumination; generating a depth map based on the optical signals detected by the depth sensor; acquiring an intensity image based on optical signals reflected from the subject's face in response to the illumination; determining, based on a portion of the depth map corresponding to the subject's eye, an estimated distance between the subject's eye and a target screen; determining an estimated gaze direction of the subject's eye based on information obtained from the intensity image; and determining, based on the estimated gaze direction and the estimated distance between the subject's eye and the target screen, a gaze point for the subject's eye.

Abstract: A method for compressing a bi-level document image containing text is disclosed. The document image is segmented into symbol images each representing a letter, numeral, etc. in the document. The symbol images are classified into a plurality of classes, each class being associated with a template image and a class index. Classification is done by comparing each symbol to be classified with template of existing classes, using a number of image features including zoning profiles, side profiles, topology statistics, and low-order image moments. These image features are compared using a tolerance based method to determine whether the symbol matches the template. After classification, certain classes that have few symbols classified into them may be merged with other classes. In addition, the template images of the classes are down-sampled, where the final sizes of the template images are dependent on the likelihood of confusion of the template with other templates.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes cameras having an optical channel that includes spatially separated sensors for sensing different parts of the optical spectrum. For example, in one aspect, an apparatus includes an image sensor module having an optical channel and including a multitude of spatially separated sensors to receive optical signals in the optical channel. The multitude of spatially separated sensors includes a first sensor operable to sense optical signals in a first spectral range, and a second sensor spatially separated from the first sensor and operable to sense optical signals in a second spectral range different from the first spectral range.

Abstract: A method for authenticating a printed document which carries barcode that encode authentication data, including word bounding boxes for each word in the original document image and data for reconstructing the original image. The printed document is scanned to generate a target document image, which is then segmented into text words. The word bounding boxes of the original and target document images are used to align the target document image. Then, each word in the original document image is compared to corresponding words in the target document image using word difference map and Hausdorff distance between them. Symbols of the original document image are further compared to corresponding symbols in the target document image using feature comparison, symbol difference map and Hausdorff distance comparison, and point matching. These various comparison results can identify alterations in the target document with respect to the original document, which can be visualized.

Abstract: A method for compressing a bi-level document image containing text is disclosed. The document image is segmented into symbol images each representing a letter, numeral, etc. in the document. The symbol images are classified into a plurality of classes, each class being associated with a template image and a class index. Classification is done by comparing each symbol to be classified with template of existing classes, using a number of image features including zoning profiles, side profiles, topology statistics, and low-order image moments. These image features are compared using a tolerance based method to determine whether the symbol matches the template. After classification, certain classes that have few symbols classified into them may be merged with other classes. In addition, the template images of the classes are down-sampled, where the final sizes of the template images are dependent on the likelihood of confusion of the template with other templates.

Abstract: A simple, fast, and effective method is provided for background removal for document images with dark text over relatively uniform or slow-varying non-white background. Candidate regions for background removal are first identified by binarizing the input gray-scale image using a global threshold very close to white. Large contours in the binarized image are identified as candidate regions. A histogram analysis is applied to preliminarily identify regions containing graphics, which are excluded from further processing. The remaining candidate regions are individually binarized. The binarized regions are analyzed to determine whether they contain graphics or text/table, by examining their geometric characteristics and statistics of connected components within them. For candidate regions determined to contain text or tables, background pixels in the input image are set to white using a mask which is the inverse of the individually binarized images of the regions. Regions that contain graphics are left unchanged.

Abstract: In a document image enhancement method, text character strokes are enhanced in a way such that areas closer to the center (skeleton) of each stroke are enhanced (e.g. made darker) by greater amounts than areas farther away from the center. Each text or line region of the input image is first binarized to generate a binary image containing connected components corresponding to character strokes and lines. Multiple levels of pseudo-skeletons are computed for each connected component, for example by using successive thinning. Multiple pseudo-skeleton difference areas, i.e. differences between successive levels of pseudo-skeletons, are generated. Pixels located in different pseudo-skeleton difference areas are enhanced by different amounts, by applying different inverse-degradation functions. Graphical regions of the input image may be treated with edge enhancement.

Abstract: A method for compressing a bi-level document image containing text is disclosed. The document image is segmented into symbol images each representing a letter, numeral, etc. in the document. The symbol images are classified into a plurality of classes, each class being associated with a template image and a class index. Classification is done by comparing each symbol to be classified with template of existing classes, using a number of image features including zoning profiles, side profiles, topology statistics, and low-order image moments. These image features are compared using a tolerance based method to determine whether the symbol matches the template. After classification, certain classes that have few symbols classified into them may be merged with other classes. In addition, the template images of the classes are down-sampled, where the final sizes of the template images are dependent on the likelihood of confusion of the template with other templates.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and a system for enhancing an interaction between a teacher and a student are disclosed, the method includes receiving video images of a region of interest from a plurality of multi-functional devices; comparing the video images of the region of interest received from the plurality of multi-functional devices; detecting differences in the region of interest of at least one multi-functional device in comparison to the region of interest of the plurality of multi-functional devices; and providing a signal to the at least one multi-functional device based on the detected difference in the region of interest.

Abstract: A method, a computer program product, and a system for analyzing exam-taking behavior and improving exam-taking skills are disclosed, the method includes obtaining a student answering sequence and timing to an examination having a series of questions; comparing the student answering sequence and timing with results from a statistic analysis of the examination obtained from a plurality of students; and identifying an abnormality in the student answering sequence and timing according to the comparison.

Abstract: A method for encoding and decoding color barcodes to increase their data capacity. The encoding steps include determining a shape, a foreground color and a background color for each data cell, wherein a combination of the shape, foreground and background colors for the data cell is chosen from a plurality of such combinations in accordance with a value of the digital data to be encoded; and coloring some pixels in the data cell with a foreground color and other pixels with a background color, in accordance with the shape, foreground and background colors for the data cell determined above. The decoding steps include segmenting the data cells, recognizing a shape, a foreground color of the shape and a background color of the data cell, and obtaining digital data from a combination of the shape and foreground and background colors in each data cell.