Researchers at the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute have developed a new camera system capable of rendering the human body as a virtual hologram.
Hold on to your astromech droid; a slice of the Star Wars galaxy could be about to come to a boardroom near you. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute have developed a new method in which an image of a person can be transmitted into the virtual world.
The method, entitled 3D Human Body Reconstruction Technology, captures human bodies with multiple cameras at the same time and concurrently creates dynamic 3D models.
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A stereo camera at the system’s center captures a human body with two lenses, similar to the stereoscopic vision found in human eyesight. More than 20 stereo camera map a human body, in which one set is devoted to a particular area of the human body.
The system then makes use of an algorithm to extract depth information and can calculate the three-dimensional form of a human body. This is then translated into a virtual scene where every blemish or wrinkle can be seen.
Once a captured body is positioned in the virtual realm, the system can replicate gestures and movement. The end achievement of the project is that a realistic image copy of a human is able to directly interact with the virtual world.
The applications of the system are multiple; it could be used to generate a virtual video conferencing system (think of scenes in Star Wars, Star Trek, or even more recently, Kingsman: The Secret Service), or even in entertainment. Movie-goers could one day find themselves involved in a pre-recorded movie scene through VR glasses in which they could walk around and participate in the action.
The system is a step above the likes of virtual holograms you might have heard about before. Whereas you might be able to see Tupac perform by hologram atop a stage, imagine being able to stand right next to him and see the icon in person through a VR headset.
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Source: Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute
