Using depth measuring cameras for a new human computer interaction in augmented virtual reality environments

The usage of a novel real-time depth-mapping principle, and of a 3D camera which embodies the new depth-mapping principle to control a number of computer applications ranging from games to collaborative multimedia environments, is described in this paper. The 3D camera has a variable depth resolution obtained from images of 1024×1024 pixels. By using the depth data provided by the 3D camera, a person's body parts and their movements are analyzed and reconstructed in real-time. Their features and spatial positions are determined and corresponding actions are triggered. Triggered actions are used to control computer games, digital signage, GIS applications, unmanned vehicles, and consumer electronics such as TVs, set-top boxes and PDAs. In this paper, the use of a 3D camera in a new human computer interface for augmented virtual reality is given and illustrated in a series of images captured from live experiments.