Detection and Analysis of Objects and Faces
Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits
Research Areas and Applications
Application Areas
Object and face detection technology can act as a springboard to further development of applications and systems in a multitude of areas and disciplines. For example, it can help improve human-machine interfaces or gauge the effectiveness of outdoor advertising.
Infotainment, advertising evaluation and market research
Digital billboards and information kiosks displaying advertisements, news, maps or directions are an increasingly common sight in public spaces. These and similar technologies are generically referred to as digital signage. Enabling real-time audience measurement, our technology allows platform operators and advertisers to gain detailed, reliable information about the effectiveness of such content. SHORE™ makes it simple to collect anonymous data about audience numbers, dwell times and demographics (age, gender).
However, face detection and analysis also facilitates human-machine interaction. When used for advertising purposes, information terminals can offer interactive games. At museums or trade shows, they can adapt to visitors standing in front of them, for instance by rendering content more accessible to children.
Telepresence and teleconferencing
Telepresence and teleconferencing systems enable participants to hear and see each other via a video link. There are many ways in which such systems can be enriched with face detection and analysis. One example is auto-tracking of faces. In videoconferencing, close lip analysis can help identify a speaker on a large discussion panel or improve speech recognition by aiding lip-reading. Interactive games can be offered on home-use telepresence systems.
Medical engineering and assisted living
Face detection and analysis technology could allow elderly and sick people who do not wish to leave the comfort of their homes to obtain immediate help in an emergency. In addition, they could be looked after by remote carers, i.e. without having to leave their familiar surroundings.
In the field of medicine, in-depth face analysis can, for instance, be used to detect pain. To assist the increasing research in this area, tools can be implemented that make it easier to automatically analyze large amounts of data generated by studies, thus ensuring reliable results. Automatic pain detection could also help hospital nurses use painkillers more effectively and so improve patients' wellbeing.
Virtual actors and intelligent agents
Synthetic characters are becoming increasingly widespread in films and television programs; they are used as avatars in digital communication as well as in games. In-depth facial expression analysis makes it straightforward to transfer a person's facial expressions to an animated character and so helps achieve a lifelike quality. In collaboration with our research partners and using SHORE™, we have implemented the Gamecast system, which combines an animated TV serial with gameplay elements.
Taking this concept one stage further are intelligent agents, animated characters that are able to communicate with humans both verbally and non-verbally. In-depth face analysis means that non-verbal communication can occur in both directions. A person's facial expressions can be transferred to the agent so as to create a realistic impression. The agent could even gauge its interlocutor's mood through face analysis and behave accordingly.
Further application areas
| Assistance systems and automotive applications |
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| Camera systems |
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| Augmented reality | |
| Image editing and photo books |
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| Security |
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