Skeletal Pose Tracking for Real-Time Gesture-Driven Virtual Effects

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing video effects are typically added post-processing, limiting real-time interaction and personalization, especially in dance videos where repetition by different creators is common.

Innovation Solution

A skeletal pose system that uses augmented reality to detect a user's pose and movements to drive real-time visual effects, allowing hand gestures to control and sequence virtual effects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If post-processing effects are used, then video effects can be added after shooting, but real-time interaction and personalization are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereal-time interactionVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by capturing skeletal pose data and pre-processing it to determine pose classifications and movements before the actual video recording completes. This allows real-time effects to be applied during recording rather than requiring post-processing, enabling immediate interaction and personalization while reducing overall processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical post-processing systems with an automated AI-based skeletal pose recognition system. By using machine learning models to detect poses and generate effects in real-time, the system eliminates manual post-processing steps and enables dynamic, personalized effects during video capture without requiring time-consuming later edits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If skeletal pose tracking is implemented, then real-time virtual effects can be applied, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereal-time effect applicationVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the complex task of real-time effect application into independent modules: skeletal pose detection, pose classification, movement analysis, and virtual effect generation. Each module processes information independently and passes it to the next stage, making the overall complex system more manageable and efficient while maintaining real-time performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary skeletal pose tracking system that acts as a mediator between the user's physical movements and the virtual effects. This intermediary layer processes pose data and translates it into effect parameters, simplifying the connection between complex user actions and the desired visual effects while maintaining real-time responsiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12531959B2Skeletal tracking for real-time virtual effects

Publication Date: 2026.01.20 SNAP INC

AI summary

Systems and methods are presented for capturing a video in real-time by an image capture device using a skeletal pose system. The skeletal pose system identifies first pose information in the video, applies a first virtual effect to the video in response to identifying the first pose information, identifies second pose information in the video, and applies a second virtual effect to the video in response to identifying the first pose information.