Image Warping Using WebGL for a Smart Avatar Animating Body Weight Evolution

Abstract

Obesity comprises a common factor contributing to increased risk for a number of diseases. Research in the field has shown that a considerable percentage of obese population perceives their body figure to be significantly closer to a healthy body figure than it actually is. The current work attempts to employ image warping techniques, in combination with actual users' images, to offer a tangible view of the range of future or past stages of a body figure through the course of one or more alternative dietary/exercise plan(s) or the absence of such a plan. This functionality is offered as a module included in a web-based responsive application offering an animated view of the transformation according to input. Pure WebGL/JavaScript has been chosen as the platform to minimize footprint and maintain portability, eliminating the need for additional plugins for the visualization due to the inherent support of WebGL by most modern-day browsers.