Entertainment and Multimedia
Entertainment and multimedia is, in fact, one of the biggest hubs for the latest technologies. Multimedia applications often demand even more attention than industrial uses. Here, beyond just solving a problem, it’s crucial to remember that these systems are typically aimed at everyday consumers, meaning their price must be carefully balanced. Many innovative and functional devices have failed to sell due to improper pricing and subsequently faded into obscurity. The scope of applications for machine vision, vision systems, and cameras in entertainment and multimedia is just as broad as in industrial or scientific sectors. We find these technologies in standalone devices in our homes, as well as in multimedia centers like television.
Television
Most people would readily call television a large vision system. Beyond just the presence of cameras, many fascinating vision technologies actually make their way into TV studios. One example is automatic presenter tracking by the camera. In traditional television staging, a human operator was responsible for each camera’s movement, whether through manual control or actuators, usually with one person per camera. Vision system technology allows for designating, or even automatically detecting, a presenter or other objects, and then automatically tracking them. This means that only one person is needed to operate all cameras, simply choosing the right shot, and all devices will automatically adjust to the correct position. This approach not only reduces costs but, more importantly, provides a better quality show for the viewer, leading to higher viewership.
Another example of vision technology in television is “green screens.” Green screens enable practically any studio arrangement using computer-generated imagery. Walls and floors are covered with a uniform green material. A computer algorithm automatically overlays the programmed image onto areas characterized by that specific color (green, in this case), creating the illusion of physically present objects. This technology not only helps reduce set design costs but also allows for changing the studio’s decor in seconds. The only requirements are to prepare the appropriate image for the green screen and ensure that anyone on camera doesn’t wear any green elements.
Motion Sensors and Virtual Reality
VR headsets have been one of the most significant entertainment trends in recent years. While their popularity may not yet meet manufacturers’ desires, they are incredibly complex devices containing elements of a vision system. VR headsets are often equipped with various sensors to position their location in space. Visual sensors on the casing monitor whether the user is too close to a wall. Unexpectedly hitting an obstacle certainly wouldn’t be a pleasant experience. If the user approaches a dangerous distance, the sensors send a signal to the processor, and a warning message is displayed on the screen.
Another earlier “boom” that has somewhat waned was motion sensors with built-in cameras, intended as standard equipment for gaming consoles. The market offers various sensors based on stereoscopy and ToF (Time-of-Flight)technology. In fact, the most popular solution is often a specially adapted and programmed ToF camera that, with a skilled programmer’s touch, can be used for other applications typical of beam time-of-flight measurement technology. Motion sensors had one goal: to make the player the controller. In games adapted for this technology, we controlled with our own bodies. Although industrial-grade performance isn’t required, these devices had to be robust enough for exceptionally varied operating environments. Motion sensors needed to work in daylight, on cloudy days, and under artificial lighting. Another challenge was their insensitivity to the player’s surroundings – it would be hard to find two identical apartments anywhere in the world. For this reason, even though these devices aren’t as popular as manufacturers might have hoped, they are a great example of how truly advanced technology, in some aspects even surpassing professional applications, was created for seemingly trivial purposes, while remaining at a price accessible to ordinary people.
Mobile Devices
The advent of the first smartphones transformed the mobile device market. We continue to see enormous sales of touchscreen devices that become more powerful and offer more features year after year. One could even argue that smartphones can replace a regular PC for routine daily tasks like Browse news or writing emails.
The topic of mobile devices comes up here for a reason: they also benefit from vision systems. The most common example is applications for scanning QR codes and barcodes. A smartphone acting as a code reader works analogously to industrial “area imager” readers, which rely on analyzing images from a camera. Current solutions automatically find the desired code in an image, regardless of tilt angle or device orientation, in a fraction of a second.
While the efficiency of smartphones as 1D/2D code readers is significantly less than purpose-built devices, their general operating principle is the same as professional solutions.
Other solutions using a smartphone camera can also be categorized as vision systems. These include various security systems. For several years, we’ve been able to unlock devices using facial recognition or even an iris scanner. The latter feature is particularly interesting because it not only provides a very high level of security but can also work in the dark. For this to be possible, smartphones, in addition to the iris scanner, are equipped with an infrared illuminator. This type of lighting is entirely sufficient for the sensors used, yet invisible to the naked eye. Thus, a smartphone can house a complete vision system, analogous to smart cameras, consisting of a camera, illuminator, processor, and software. The ways in which mobile device components are utilized by various applications are hundreds, perhaps even thousands, and it’s impossible to describe them all here.
The entertainment and multimedia market is an incredibly dynamic area and a powerful driving force for new technologies. While its specific characteristics differ from areas like industry or scientific research, a thorough understanding of its needs and operational mechanisms allows for the creation of competitive solutions. In this field, machine vision also plays its role, forming the basis for many multimedia systems and devices.
