Abstract: Methods and systems for surface-free pointing and/or command input include a computing device operably linked to an imaging device. The imaging device can be any suitable video recording device including a conventional webcam. At least one pointing/input device is provided including a visible point light source emitting light in a wavelength defining a predetermined color. The at least one pointing/input device may be a conventional optoelectronic computer mouse. The imaging device captures one or more sequential image frames each including a view of a scene including the visible point light source. One or more software programs calculate a position and/or a motion of the at least one point light source in the captured image frames by identifying colored areas corresponding to the point light source and mapping those colored areas to a position and/or motion of a visual marker such as a cursor in a graphical user interface.

Abstract: A three-dimensional user interface system includes at least one pointing/input device and an imaging device configured for capturing one or more image frames each providing at least two different views of a scene including the at least one pointing/input device. The imaging device is a multi-view imaging device which provides at least two different views of the scene per each of the one or more image frames captured. One or more software programs calculate from reference points in the image frames at least a spatial and a velocity parameter of the at least one pointing/input device when moved through a three-dimensional space and for rendering on a graphical user interface of a computing device a visual marker corresponding to the spatial and velocity parameters of the at least one pointing/input device in three-dimensional space. Methods for three-dimensional pointing and/or data input incorporating the described system are also provided.

Abstract: A computing system for direct three-dimensional pointing includes at least one computing device, and a pointing/input device including at least one light source and a motion sensor module for determining absolute and relative displacement of the pointing/input device. At least one imaging device is configured for capturing a plurality of image frames each including a view of the light source as the pointing/input device is held and/or moved in a three-dimensional space. A computer program product calculates at least a position and/or a motion of the light source in three-dimensional space from the plurality of sequential image frames and from the pointing/input device absolute and relative displacement information, and renders on the graphical user interface a visual indicator corresponding to the calculated position and/or the motion of the light source.

Abstract: Methods and systems for surface-free pointing and/or command input include a computing device operably linked to an imaging device. The imaging device can be any suitable video recording device including a conventional webcam. At least one pointing/input device is provided including first and second sets of visible point light sources, wherein the first and second sets emit differently colored light. The imaging device captures one or more sequential image frames each including a view of a scene including the first and second sets of visible point light sources. One or more software programs calculate a position and/or a motion and/or an orientation of the pointing/input device in the captured image frames by identifying colored areas corresponding to the first set of aligned visible point light sources. Certain activation patterns of individual point light sources are mapped to particular pointing and/or input commands.

Abstract: Methods and systems for surface-free pointing and/or command input include a computing device operably linked to an imaging device. The imaging device can be any suitable video recording device including a conventional webcam. At least one pointing/input device is provided including first and second sets of visible point light sources, wherein the first and second sets emit differently colored light. The imaging device captures one or more sequential image frames each including a view of a scene including the first and second sets of visible point light sources. One or more software programs calculate a position and/or a motion and/or an orientation of the pointing/input device in the captured image frames by identifying colored areas corresponding to the first set of aligned visible point light sources. Certain activation patterns of individual point light sources are mapped to particular pointing and/or input commands.

Abstract: Methods and systems for surface-free pointing and/or command input include a computing device operably linked to an imaging device. The imaging device can be any suitable video recording device including a conventional webcam. At least one pointing/input device is provided including a visible point light source emitting light in a wavelength defining a predetermined color. The at least one pointing/input device may be a conventional optoelectronic computer mouse. The imaging device captures one or more sequential image frames each including a view of a scene including the visible point light source. One or more software programs calculate a position and/or a motion of the at least one point light source in the captured image frames by identifying colored areas corresponding to the point light source and mapping those colored areas to a position and/or motion of a visual marker such as a cursor in a graphical user interface.

Abstract: A three-dimensional user interface system includes at least one pointing/input device and an imaging device configured for capturing one or more image frames each providing at least two different views of a scene including the at least one pointing/input device. The imaging device is a multi-view imaging device which provides at least two different views of the scene per each of the one or more image frames captured. One or more software programs calculate from reference points in the image frames at least a spatial and a velocity parameter of the at least one pointing/input device when moved through a three-dimensional space and for rendering on a graphical user interface of a computing device a visual marker corresponding to the spatial and velocity parameters of the at least one pointing/input device in three-dimensional space. Methods for three-dimensional pointing and/or data input incorporating the described system are also provided.