Abstract: The system provides improved procedures to estimate head motion between two images of a face. Locations of a number of distinct facial features are identified in two images. The identified locations can correspond to the eye corners, mouth corners and nose tip. The locations are converted into as a set of physical face parameters based on the symmetry of the identified distinct facial features. The set of physical parameters reduces the number of unknowns as compared to the number of equations used to determine the unknowns. An initial head motion estimate is determined by: (a) estimating each of the set of physical parameters, (b) estimating a first head pose transform corresponding to the first image, and (c) estimating a second head pose transform corresponding to the second image. The head motion estimate can be incorporated into a feature matching algorithm to refine the head motion estimation and the physical facial parameters.

Abstract: Multi-device capture and spatial browsing of conferences is described. In one implementation, a system detects cameras and microphones, such as the webcams on participants' notebook computers, in a conference room, group meeting, or table game, and enlists an ad-hoc array of available devices to capture each participant and the spatial relationships between participants. A video stream composited from the array is browsable by a user to navigate a 3-dimensional representation of the meeting. Each participant may be represented by a video pane, a foreground object, or a 3-D geometric model of the participant's face or body displayed in spatial relation to the other participants in a 3-dimensional arrangement analogous to the spatial arrangement of the meeting.

Abstract: A multimodal, multilanguage mobile device which can be employed to enhance note taking and/or annotation of a document, and gaming. Input data types such as optical character recognition (OCR), speech, handwriting, and visual information (e.g., image and/or video), etc., can be fused to generate rich documents with a multidimensional level of data to provide an increased level of context over conventional documents. Such architecture can be utilized by students for homework management, as well as entertainment (e.g., gaming).

Abstract: A method and apparatus determine a likelihood of a speech state based on an alternative sensor signal and an air conduction microphone signal. The likelihood of the speech state is used, together with the alternative sensor signal and the air conduction microphone signal, to estimate a clean speech value for a clean speech signal.

Abstract: A system that facilitates automatically determining an action of an animate object is described herein. The system includes a receiver component that receives video data that includes images of an animate object. The system additionally includes a determiner component that accesses a data store that includes an action graph and automatically determines an action undertaken by the animate object in the received video data based at least in part upon the action graph. The action graph comprises a plurality of nodes that are representative of multiple possible postures of the animate object. At least one node in the action graph is shared amongst multiple actions represented in the action graph.

Abstract: A foveated wide-angle imaging system and method for capturing a wide-angle image and for viewing the captured wide-angle image in real time. In general, the foveated wide-angle imaging system includes a foveated wide-angle camera system having multiple cameras for capturing a scene and outputting raw output images, a foveated wide-angle stitching system for generating a stitch table, and a real-time wide-angle image correction system that creates a composed warp table from the stitch table and processes the raw output images using the composed warp table to correct distortion and perception problems. The foveated wide-angle imaging method includes using a foveated wide-angle camera system to capture a plurality of raw output images, generating a composed warp table, and processing the plurality of raw output images using the composed warp table to generate a corrected wide-angle image for viewing.

Abstract: A multimedia conference technique is disclosed that allows physically remote users to participate in an immersive telecollaborative environment by synchronizing multiple data, images and sounds. The multimedia conference implementation provides users with the perception of being in the same room visually as well as acoustically according to an orientation plan which reflects each remote user's position within the multimedia conference environment.

Abstract: A panoramic camera is configured to automatically determine parameters of a table upon which the camera is situated as well as positional information of the camera relative to the table. In an initialization stage, table edges are detected to create an edge map. A Hough transformation-like symmetry voting operation is performed to clean up the edge map and to determine camera offset, camera orientation and camera tilt. The table is then fit to a table model to determine table parameters. In an operational stage, table edges are detected to create an edge map and the table model is fit to the edge map. The output can then be used for further panoramic image processing such as head size normalization, zooming, compensation for camera movement, etc.

Abstract: In a method for compressing a video clip containing audio content and image content, an image and/or an audio portion of individual video frames of the video clip are analyzed. Next frame scores are calculated for the video frames. Each frame score is based on at least one image attribute of the image of the video frame, and/or an audio attribute of the audio portion of the video frame. Next, key frames are identified that have a frame score that exceeds a threshold frame score. Finally, a compressed video clip is formed in which the images of non-key frames are removed. A system for implementing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: Videos are retargeted to a target display for viewing with little to no geometric distortion or video information loss. Salient regions of video frames may be determined using scale-space spatiotemporal information. Video information loss may be a result of spatial loss, due to cropping, and resolution loss, due to resizing. A desired cropping window may be determined using a coarse-to-fine searching strategy. Video frames may be cropped with a window that matches an aspect ratio of the target display, and resized isotropically to match a size of the target display.

Abstract: A method and apparatus classify a portion of an alternative sensor signal as either containing noise or not containing noise. The portions of the alternative sensor signal that are classified as containing noise are not used to estimate a portion of a clean speech signal and the channel response associated with the alternative sensor. The portions of the alternative sensor signal that are classified as not containing noise are used to estimate a portion of a clean speech signal and the channel response associated with the alternative sensor.

Abstract: Efficient image display on a display screen (e.g., in terms of number, space, resolution, and/or distortion) is facilitated by implementing one or more specialized select and pack routines for images. That is, representative images are selected from an image database, based on desired resolution and distortion, then resized and packed into a display arrangement that enhances use of display screen space. This allows, for example, images to be sent to a user from an image database more quickly, with more desirable resolution, and less distortion than traditional display techniques.

Abstract: A system that facilitates blind source separation in a distributed microphone meeting environment for improved teleconferencing. Input sensor (e.g., microphone) signals are transformed to the frequency-domain and independent component analysis is applied to compute estimates of frequency-domain processing matrices. Modified permutations of the processing matrices are obtained based upon a maximum magnitude based de-permutation scheme. Estimates of the plurality of source signals are provided based upon the modified frequency-domain processing matrices and input sensor signals. Optionally, segments during which the set of active sources is a subset of the set of all sources can be exploited to compute more accurate estimates of frequency-domain mixing matrices. Source activity detection can be applied to determine which speaker(s), if any, are active.

Abstract: A method and apparatus determine a channel response for an alternative sensor using an alternative sensor signal and an air conduction microphone signal. The channel response is then used to estimate a clean speech value using at least a portion of the alternative sensor signal.

Abstract: A subject captured by a camera may be affected by environmental lighting provided by nearby light sources and the sun or moon, which may cause underexposure or overexposure of the image or aesthetically displeasing color tones. Image processing and camera adjustments may mitigate some imaging problems with limited effect and introduce undesirable side effects. A lighting array may be devised to expose the subject to various types of light (e.g., white light comprising full spectrum illumination and red, green, and blue lights comprising partial spectrum illumination) to resolve lighting problems in a more effective manner. Moreover, the lighting array may be responsively controlled to adjust the subject image with respect to one or more target spectra specifying desirable colors for the subject image. The lighting array may be iteratively controlled, e.g. by a gradient descent algorithm, for incrementally adjusting parameters with respect to proximate target spectra for the image.

Abstract: Described herein is a method that includes receiving multiple requests for access to an exposed media object, wherein the exposed media object represents a live media stream that is being generated by a media source. The method also includes receiving data associated with each entity that provided a request, and determining, for each entity, whether the entities that provided the request are authorized to access the media stream based at least in part upon the received data and splitting the media stream into multiple media streams, wherein a number of media streams corresponds to a number of authorized entities. The method also includes automatically applying at least one policy to at least one of the split media streams based at least in part upon the received data.

Abstract: Multi-modal, multi-lingual devices can be employed to consolidate numerous items including, but not limited to, keys, remote controls, image capture devices, audio recorders, cellular telephone functionalities, location/direction detectors, health monitors, calendars, gaming devices, smart home inputs, pens, optical pointing devices or the like. For example, a corner of a cellular telephone can be used as an electronic pen. Moreover, the device can be used to snap multiple pictures stitching them together to create a panoramic image. A device can automate ignition of an automobile, initiate appliances, etc. based upon relative distance. The device can provide for near to eye capabilities for enhanced image viewing. Multiple cameras/sensors can be provided on a single device to provide for stereoscopic capabilities. The device can also provide assistance to blind, privacy, etc. by consolidating services.

Abstract: A media recommendation and sharing technique that employs agents on media players/devices to expand the scope of media sharing scenarios. The technique assists a user in discovering media items, such as, for example, music, recordings, play lists, pictures, video games, on nearby media players or devices (devices which are capable of receiving, storing and playing media) which are interesting to the user. The collaborative media recommendation and sharing technique contemporaneously determines a user's media preferences based on media stored on a pair of media devices and recommends media for potential sharing based on these determined user preferences.

Abstract: A video noise reduction technique is presented. Generally, the technique involves first decomposing each frame of the video into low-pass and high-pass frequency components. Then, for each frame of the video after the first frame, an estimate of a noise variance in the high pass component is obtained. The noise in the high pass component of each pixel of each frame is reduced using the noise variance estimate obtained for the frame under consideration, whenever there has been no substantial motion exhibited by the pixel since the last previous frame. Evidence of motion is determined by analyzing the high and low pass components.

Abstract: Multi-modal, multi-lingual devices can be employed to consolidate numerous items including, but not limited to, keys, remote controls, image capture devices, audio recorders, cellular telephone functionalities, location/direction detectors, health monitors, calendars, gaming devices, smart home inputs, pens, optical pointing devices or the like. For example, a corner of a cellular telephone can be used as an electronic pen. Moreover, the device can be used to snap multiple pictures stitching them together to create a panoramic image. A device can automate ignition of an automobile, initiate appliances, etc. based upon relative distance. The device can provide for near to eye capabilities for enhanced image viewing. Multiple cameras/sensors can be provided on a single device to provide for stereoscopic capabilities. The device can also provide assistance to blind, privacy, etc. by consolidating services.