3-D Surveillance Technology

scubacuda writes "According to this Technology Review article, a new surveillance technology called Video Flashlight melds 3-D models from background scenes. This "tweening process" allows security persononnel to fly around a subject such as a pedestrian, getting a detailed look without jumping between widely separated views." That's just flat out cool.

This is reminiscent of Chen and Williams work

[Thagg]

Check out this paper by Chen and Williams. In this work done back at Apple in '93 they describe how to create intermediate camera angles from multiple static images. [nec.com]

Of course, the capacity to fly around the scene in real time had to wait until computers got a lot faster.

thad

Spectator mode?

[Anonymous Coward]

Sounds like they want to get spectator mode like in Counter Strike. Right-click to jump between people walking around, and you can move the mouse to change the angle you're looking at him with...

At least that what it sounds like to me...

Re:how does this work

[Anonymous Coward]

Actually, they talked about multiple networked cameras.
It really doesn't matter how many cameras you have, as long as you can see every part of the subject, which means a minimum of three cameras.
As they explained in the article, the basic buildings in the area have already been modelled in 3D and are used as reference for the computer to be able to discern what is what. Anything which doesn't match the model, is considered a foreign object, and by extrapolating information about that object from as many cameras as it needs to, the computer can build a 3D model of that object in real time. Since this is being fed into a 3D engine, the observer can place a virtual 'camera' like he would in any 3D animation package, anywhere within the scene. Of course, this will basically mean the end of privacy. Imagine going to a romantic dinner, and the security guy on the 3rd floor is looking at your date from the same angle you are... It's all possible.
Of course, Hollywood will take massive advantages of this technology, using it to generate camera moves in a real location otherwise impossible to achieve.
Also, imagine watching a ball game on TV where they can cut to any angle, even seeing the POV of the ball as it travels through the air.
Or, being able to see the exact POV of a race car driver without puttin a camera on his helmet.

Next stop: displaying the output in 3D using holograms. That could be very cool for ballgames also... Your home team is on the road, but you can still go see them 'live' at their home court.

Oh, and pr0n will take on a whole new meaning...