RF Tag Facial Tracking for Unobstructed Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for facial capture in performance capture, such as fixed chair setups and helmet-mounted cameras, restrict subject movement and interaction, and are either cumbersome or obstructive, failing to provide high-quality, unobtrusive, and unconstrained facial animation in real environments.
Innovation Solution
A system using Ultra-Wideband (UWB) radio frequency tags and anchors to determine the location and orientation of a subject's face, allowing cameras to automatically focus and zoom on the face without obstruction, enabling fully mobile and unconstrained facial performance capture in real environments through a network of radio devices and controllable pan-tilt camera units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fixed chair setups or helmet-mounted cameras are used for facial capture, then facial capture quality can be maintained, but subject movement freedom and interaction capability are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical camera mounting systems (fixed chairs, helmet-mounted cameras) with a wireless RF-based tracking system. RF tags attached to the subject's head and shoulders enable automatic facial location determination without physical constraints, allowing free movement while maintaining capture quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces RF tags as intermediary devices that mediate between the subject and the camera system. These tags transmit location information wirelessly, enabling the camera to track and focus on the subject's face without direct mechanical connection or obstruction.
2Measurement precision
If multiple cameras are deployed to capture facial data from different angles, then facial capture quality improves, but system complexity and coordination difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where RF tags continuously transmit location information to the camera system. This real-time feedback enables automatic adjustment of camera positions and focus, allowing multiple cameras to coordinate their capture angles based on the subject's current facial orientation and location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic camera positioning where camera angles and focus points adjust in real-time based on subject movement. The system determines facial location and orientation dynamically, enabling multiple cameras to optimize their capture angles automatically as the subject moves throughout the environment.
3Reliability
If traditional facial capture methods are used, then high-quality facial data can be obtained, but the equipment obstructs the subject's face and reduces natural movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the camera equipment from proximity to the subject's face, placing cameras at a distance and using RF tags for tracking. This eliminates the obstruction caused by helmet-mounted cameras or close-range equipment while maintaining the ability to capture high-quality facial data through automatic tracking and focus adjustment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves high accuracy in determining facial location and orientation, allowing for unobtrusive and automatic facial capture in real environments, scalable to multiple subjects, and adaptable to various settings, including virtual and augmented reality, with self-calibration and robustness against environmental conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The first RF tag and the second RF tag may include Ultra-Wideband (UWB) tags. The system may further include one or more RF anchors that are distributed around the subject, where the one or more RF anchors may provide time-of-arrival (ToA) measurement to determine the location of the first RF tag and the second RF tag.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of determining facial location and orientation may include receiving a location of a first radio frequency (RF) tag on a subject; receiving a location of a second RF tag on the subject; determining a location and orientation of a face of the subject using at least the location of the first RF tag and the location of the second RF tag; and sending commands to one or more camera units. The commands may cause the one or more camera units to capture the location and orientation of the face of the subject.