Facial Direction Video Clipping for Hands-Free Image Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image-capturing methods require continuous attention from the operator, preventing them from fully engaging in other activities or experiences, and existing solutions like head-fixed cameras and omnidirectional shooting involve cumbersome processes or distortions.
Innovation Solution
An image-capturing apparatus that detects the user's facial direction to automatically adjust the clipping range in real-time, allowing continuous image capture without the need for constant operator attention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a camera operator continuously directs the camera in an image-capturing direction, then image-capturing operations can be performed, but the operator cannot concentrate on the experience of being in that place and cannot handle other tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses facial direction detection to automatically determine the image-capturing direction based on the operator's gaze, allowing the camera to self-orient without continuous manual intervention. This enables the operator to focus on experiencing the environment while the system autonomously captures images in the direction of interest.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates a feedback loop where the facial direction detection unit continuously monitors the operator's gaze direction and feeds this information to the image-capturing device to adjust the shooting direction accordingly. This real-time feedback mechanism ensures the camera automatically follows the operator's attention without requiring manual control.
2Ease of operation
If a head-fixation accessory is used to fix the camera on the head, then image-capturing can be performed without operator preoccupation, but the appearance becomes unflattering and the operator is distracted by the accessory and camera weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the camera system from the head-fixation accessory approach and relocates it to a wearable device that can be carried in a pocket or bag. This eliminates the need for a head-mounted configuration, thereby removing the visual distraction and weight burden on the operator's head while maintaining automated image-capturing functionality through facial direction detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a facial direction detection unit as an intermediary between the operator and the image-capturing device. Instead of directly mounting the camera on the head, the system uses facial recognition technology to infer the desired capture direction from the operator's gaze, thereby eliminating the need for a physical head-fixation accessory while achieving automated orientation.
3Ease of operation
If omnidirectional-shooting camera is used to perform image-capturing over a wide range, then the operator can concentrate on the experience, but a series of work such as image conversion and specifying clipping positions is required after the experience
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the image-capturing range and focus based on real-time facial direction detection. Instead of capturing a static omnidirectional view that requires post-processing, the system adaptively frames the shot according to the operator's gaze direction during the experience, eliminating the need for subsequent image conversion and clipping operations while maintaining full engagement with the moment.
Data Source
AI summary
An image-capturing apparatus includes an image-capturing device; a detecting unit configured to detect a facial direction of a user with respect to the image-capturing apparatus; a setting unit configured to set a clipping range in each frame image in a moving image that is image-captured by the image-capturing device, on the basis of the facial direction that is detected; and a generating unit that is configured to generate a clipped moving image from the clipping range. The generating unit generates the clipped moving image by changing the clipping range set with respect to a frame image in an action period, during which the user performs an action of directing a face toward a display device communicably connected to the image-capturing apparatus, to the clipping range set with respect to a frame image from before the action period starting.