Wearable Camera Direction Control via Posture Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable cameras, such as helmet-mounted, glasses-mounted, and badge-mounted cameras, face challenges in maintaining a consistent photographing direction due to variations in wearer body shapes and mounting locations, requiring adjustments and image confirmation after re-mounting.
Innovation Solution
A direction control device and method that includes a camera unit, image-processing unit, posture detection unit, and camera control unit, which acquires images, calculates the position of a setting image, detects differences with a reference image, and adjusts the camera's direction accordingly to set the photographing direction to a predetermined orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a badge-mounted wearable camera is mounted on the chest, shoulder, or back, then the camera can be worn on different body locations, but the photographing direction changes from previous mounting due to variations in body shapes and mounting locations
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures a reference image of the user, detects the user's posture and body shape characteristics, and uses this information to automatically adjust the camera's photographing direction. This feedback loop ensures that regardless of mounting location or body shape variations, the camera consistently captures images from the correct directional orientation relative to the user's body
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the camera's photographing direction parameters (azimuth and elevation angles) based on detected user posture and body shape parameters. By dynamically adjusting these parameters according to the specific user and mounting conditions, the system maintains consistent photographing direction despite variations in mounting location or body shape
2Measurement precision
If manual adjustment of photographing direction is required after mounting, then the photographing direction can be confirmed with a monitor, but the adjustment process requires user time and operation
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system performs self-adjustment of the photographing direction by automatically detecting user posture and body shape from captured images, calculating the appropriate directional angles, and adjusting the camera orientation without requiring manual user intervention. The system serves itself by autonomously completing the adjustment process that would otherwise require user operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary capture of a reference image containing the user, analyzes the user's posture and body shape characteristics in advance, and pre-calculates the optimal photographing direction parameters before actual photography begins. This preliminary analysis enables automatic setup without requiring post-mounting manual adjustment
3Ease of operation
If helmet-mounted or glasses-mounted wearable cameras are used, then adjusting the photographing direction is eliminated in case of re-mounting, but these mounting methods have structural constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical adjustment mechanisms (physical mounting structures with fixed orientations) with an image-processing-based system that detects user posture and body shape to automatically determine photographing direction. This substitution allows the camera to adapt to any mounting location without requiring mechanical re-adjustment, achieving the ease of helmet/glasses-mounted cameras while maintaining the versatility of badge-mounted cameras
Data Source
AI summary
A direction control device includes: a camera unit that acquires an image captured by photographing a subject by a camera targeted for adjustment of a photographing direction; an image-processing unit that calculates a position of a first setting image that represents the subject in the captured image; a posture detection unit that detects a difference between a position of a second setting image that represents the subject in a reference image registered in advance and the position of the first setting image; and a camera control unit that shifts the photographing direction of the camera based on the difference.