Fast, reliable head tracking under varying illumination: anapproach based on registration of texture-mapped 3D models

A technique for 3D head tracking under varying illumination is proposed. The head is modeled as a texture mapped cylinder. Tracking is formulated as an image registration problem in the cylinder's texture map image. The resulting dynamic texture map provides a stabilized view of the face that can be used as input to many existing 2D techniques for face recognition, facial expressions analysis, lip reading, and eye tracking. To solve the registration problem with lighting variation and head motion, the residual registration error is modeled as a linear combination of texture warping templates and orthogonal illumination templates. Fast stable online tracking is achieved via regularized weighted least-squares error minimization. The regularization tends to limit potential ambiguities that arise in the warping and illumination templates. It enables stable tracking over extended sequences. Tracking does not require a precise initial model fit; the system is initialized automatically using a simple 2D face detector. It is assumed that the target is facing the camera in the first frame. The formulation uses texture mapping hardware. The nonoptimized implementation runs at about 15 frames per second on a SGI O2 graphic workstation. Extensive experiments evaluating the effectiveness of the formulation are reported. The sensitivity of the technique to illumination, regularization parameters, errors in the initial positioning, and internal camera parameters are analyzed. Examples and applications of tracking are reported     

Robust real-time 3D head pose estimation from range data

In this paper a real-time 3D pose estimation algorithm using range data is described. The system relies on a novel 3D sensor that generates a dense range image of the scene. By not relying on brightness information, the proposed system guarantees robustness under a variety of illumination conditions, and scene contents. Efficient face detection using global features and exploitation of prior knowledge along with novel feature localization and tracking techniques are described. Experimental results demonstrate accurate estimation of the six degrees of freedom of the head and robustness under occlusions, facial expressions, and head shape variability.     

Vision-based short range interaction between a personal service robot and a user

Interaction between a personal service robot and a human user is contingent on being aware of the posture and facial expression of users in the home environment. In this work, we propose algorithms to robustly and efficiently track the head, facial gestures, and the upper body movements of a user. The face processing module consists of 3D head pose estimation, modeling nonrigid facial deformations, and expression recognition. Thus, it can detect and track the face, and classify expressions under various poses, which is the key for human–robot interaction. For body pose tracking, we develop an efficient algorithm based on bottom-up techniques to search in a tree-structured 2D articulated body model, and identify multiple pose candidates to represent the state of current body configuration. We validate these face and body modules in varying experiments with different datasets, and the experimental results are reported. The implementation of both modules can run in real-time, which meets the requirement for real-world human–robot interaction task. These two modules have been ported onto a real robot platform by the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute.     

Model-free non-rigid head pose tracking by joint shape and pose estimation

Head pose estimation under non-rigid face movement is particularly useful in applications relating to eye-gaze tracking in less constrained scenarios, where the user is allowed to move naturally during tracking. Existing vision-based head pose estimation methods often require accurate initialisation and tracking of specific facial landmarks, while methods that handle non-rigid face deformations typically necessitate a preliminary training phase prior to head pose estimation. In this paper, we propose a method to estimate the head pose in real-time from the trajectories of a set of feature points spread randomly over the face region, without requiring a training phase or model-fitting of specific facial features. Conversely, our method exploits the 3-dimensional shape of the surface of interest, recovered via shape and motion factorisation, in combination with Kalman and particle filtering to determine the contribution of each feature point to the estimation of head pose based on a variance measure. Quantitative and qualitative results reveal the capability of our method in handling non-rigid face movement without deterioration of the head pose estimation accuracy.     

Real-time speech-driven face animation with expressions using neural networks

A real-time speech-driven synthetic talking face provides an effective multimodal communication interface in distributed collaboration environments. Nonverbal gestures such as facial expressions are important to human communication and should be considered by speech-driven face animation systems. In this paper, we present a framework that systematically addresses facial deformation modeling, automatic facial motion analysis, and real-time speech-driven face animation with expression using neural networks. Based on this framework, we learn a quantitative visual representation of the facial deformations, called the motion units (MUs). A facial deformation can be approximated by a linear combination of the MUs weighted by MU parameters (MUPs). We develop an MU-based facial motion tracking algorithm which is used to collect an audio-visual training database. Then, we construct a real-time audio-to-MUP mapping by training a set of neural networks using the collected audio-visual training database. The quantitative evaluation of the mapping shows the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Using the proposed method, we develop the functionality of real-time speech-driven face animation with expressions for the iFACE system. Experimental results show that the synthetic expressive talking face of the iFACE system is comparable with a real face in terms of the effectiveness of their influences on bimodal human emotion perception.     

Real-Time Accurate 3D Head Tracking and Pose Estimation with Consumer RGB-D Cameras

We demonstrate how 3D head tracking and pose estimation can be effectively and efficiently achieved from noisy RGB-D sequences. Our proposal leverages on a random forest framework, designed to regress the 3D head pose at every frame in a temporal tracking manner. One peculiarity of the algorithm is that it exploits together (1) a generic training dataset of 3D head models, which is learned once offline; and, (2) an online refinement with subject-specific 3D data, which aims for the tracker to withstand slight facial deformations and to adapt its forest to the specific characteristics of an individual subject. The combination of these works allows our algorithm to be robust even under extreme poses, where the user’s face is no longer visible on the image. Finally, we also propose another solution that utilizes a multi-camera system such that the data simultaneously acquired from multiple RGB-D sensors helps the tracker to handle challenging conditions that affect a subset of the cameras. Notably, the proposed multi-camera frameworks yields a real-time performance of approximately 8 ms per frame given six cameras and one CPU core, and scales up linearly to 30 fps with 25 cameras.     

3D head tracking under partial occlusion

A new algorithm for 3D head tracking under partial occlusion from 2D monocular image sequences is proposed. The extended superquadric (ESQ) is used to generate a geometric 3D face model in order to reduce the shape ambiguity during tracking. Optical flow is then regularized by this model to estimate the 3D rigid motion. To deal with occlusion, a new motion segmentation algorithm using motion residual error analysis is developed. The occluded areas are successfully detected and discarded as noise. Furthermore, accumulation error is heavily reduced by a new post-regularization process based on edge flow. This makes the algorithm more stable over long image sequences. The algorithm is applied to both synthetic occlusion sequence and real image sequences. Comparisons with the ground truth indicate that our method is effective and is not sensitive to occlusion during head tracking.     

将高解析度动作撷取资料校正应用在脸部动画系统

提出一个新的方法来产生脸部动画,即利用动作撷取系统捕捉真人脸上的细微动作,再将动态资料用来驱动脸部模型产生动画,首先,利用Ｏｘｆｏｒｄ Ｍｅｔｒｉｃｓ’ＶＩＣＯＮ８系统,在真人的脸上贴了２３个反光标记物,用以进行动作撷取,得到三维动态资料后,必须经过后继处理才能使用,因此,提出了消除头部运动的方法,并估计人头的旋转支点,经过处理后,剩余的动态资料代表脸部表情的变化,因此,可以直接运用到脸部模型。用     

将高解析度动作撷取资料校正应用在脸部画系统

提出一个新的方法来产生脸部动画,即利用动作撷取系统捕捉真人脸上的细微动作,再将动态资料用来驱动脸部模型产生动画.首先,OXfor Metrics'VICON8系统,在真人的脸上贴了23全反光标记物,用以进行动作撷取.得到三维动态资料后,必须经过后继处理才能使用,因此,提出了消除头部运动的方法,并估计人头的旋转支点,经过处理后,剩余的动态资料代表脸部表情的变化,因此,可以直接运用到脸部模型.用2.5D的脸模型来实作系统,这样可兼得二维模型与三维模型的优点:简单、在小角度旋转时显得生动、自然.在脸部动务的制作中,利用一个特殊的内差公式来计算非特征点的位移,并将脸部分成数个区域,用以限制模型上三维点的移动,使动画更加自然,此动画系统在Pentium Ⅲ500MHz的机器上,并配有OpenGL的加速卡,更新率可以超过每秒30张.     

Hierarchical On-line Appearance-Based Tracking for 3D head pose,eyebrows, lips,eyelids and irises

In this paper, we propose an On-line Appearance-Based Tracker (OABT) for simultaneous tracking of 3D head pose, lips, eyebrows, eyelids and irises in monocular video sequences. In contrast to previously proposed tracking approaches, which deal with face and gaze tracking separately, our OABT can also be used for eyelid and iris tracking, as well as 3D head pose, lips and eyebrows facial actions tracking. Furthermore, our approach applies an on-line learning of changes in the appearance of the tracked target. Hence, the prior training of appearance models, which usually requires a large amount of labeled facial images, is avoided. Moreover, the proposed method is built upon a hierarchical combination of three OABTs, which are optimized using a Levenberg–Marquardt Algorithm (LMA) enhanced with line-search procedures. This, in turn, makes the proposed method robust to changes in lighting conditions, occlusions and translucent textures, as evidenced by our experiments. Finally, the proposed method achieves head and facial actions tracking in real-time.     

Tracking Motion, Deformation, and Texture Using Conditionally Gaussian Processes

We present a generative model and inference algorithm for 3D nonrigid object tracking. The model, which we call G-flow, enables the joint inference of 3D position, orientation, and nonrigid deformations, as well as object texture and background texture. Optimal inference under G-flow reduces to a conditionally Gaussian stochastic filtering problem. The optimal solution to this problem reveals a new space of computer vision algorithms, of which classic approaches such as optic flow and template matching are special cases that are optimal only under special circumstances. We evaluate G-flow on the problem of tracking facial expressions and head motion in 3D from single-camera video. Previously, the lack of realistic video data with ground truth nonrigid position information has hampered the rigorous evaluation of nonrigid tracking. We introduce a practical method of obtaining such ground truth data and present a new face video data set that was created using this technique. Results on this data set show that G-flow is much more robust and accurate than current deterministic optic-flow-based approaches.     

Building Three Dimensional Head Models

This paper proposes a camera-based real-time system for building a three dimensional (3D) human head model. The proposed system is first trained in a semi-automatic way to locate the user's facial area and is then used to build a 3D model based on the front and profile views of the user's face. This is achieved by directing the user to position his or her face and profile in a highlighted area, which is used to train a neural network to distinguish the background from the face. With a blink from the user, the system is then capable of accurately locating a set of characteristic feature points on the front and profile views of the face, which are used for the adaptation of a generic 3D face model. This adaptation procedure is initialized with a rigid transformation of the model aiming to minimize the distances of the 3D model feature nodes from the calculated 3D coordinates of the 2D feature points. Then, a nonrigid transformation ensures that the feature nodes are displaced optimally close to their exact calculated positions, dragging their neighbors in a way that deforms the facial model in a natural looking manner. A male hair model is created using a 3D ellipsoid, which is truncated and merged with the adapted face model. A cylindrical texture map is finally built from the two image views covering the whole area of the head by exploiting the inherent face symmetry. The final result is a complete, textured model of a specific person's head.     

视频驱动人脸动画合成(英文)

In this paper, we present a system for real-time performance-driven facial animation. With the system, the user can control the facial expression of a digital character by acting out the desired facial action in front of an ordinary camera. First,we create a muscle-based 3D face model. The muscle actuation parameters are used to animate the face model. To increase the reality of facial animation, the orbicularis oris in our face model is divided into the inner part and outer part. We also establish the relationship between jaw rotation and facial surface deformation. Second, a real-time facial tracking method is employed to track the facial features of a performer in the video. Finally, the tracked facial feature points are used to estimate muscle actuation parameters to drive the face model. Experimental results show that our system runs in real time and outputs realistic facial animations.Compared with most existing performance-based facial animation systems, ours does not require facial markers, intrusive lighting,or special scanning equipment, thus it is inexpensive and easy to use.     

人体三维运动实时跟踪与建模系统

提出了一种新的人体三维运动实时跟踪与建模系统设计方法,并基于此实现了一套鲁棒的参考应用系统.针对人机交互等对跟踪精度要求不是很高的应用场合,系统在跟踪精确性和简易性与可推广性之间做了很好的折中.系统使用多个摄像头采集图像,实时计算场景深度信息,然后结合使用深度和颜色信息进行人体跟踪.应用一个简易的人体上半身三维模型,并使用基于颜色直方图的粒子滤波算法对头部和手部进行跟踪,从而恢复出模型的各个参数.系统以人脸检测和人手肤色聚类算法为初始化方法.大量实验证明,该系统能在复杂背景下进行人体上半身的跟踪和三维模型恢复,能进行完全自动的初始化,有较强的抗干扰能力和自动错误恢复能力.系统在2.4GHz PC机上能以25帧/秒的速度运行.     

视频驱动人脸动画合成

描述了一种实时的视频驱动的人脸动画合成系统.通过该系统,用户只要在摄像头前面表演各种脸部动作,就可以控制虚拟人脸的表情.首先,建立一个基于肌肉的三维人脸模型,并使用肌肉激励参数控制人脸形变.为提高人脸动画的真实感,将口轮匝肌分解为外圈和内圈两部分,同时建立脸部形变与下颌转动的关系.然后,使用一种实时的特征点跟踪算法跟踪视频中人脸的特征点.最后,将视频跟踪结果转换为肌肉激励参数以驱动人脸动画.实验结果表明,该系统能实时运行,合成的动画也具有较强真实感.与大部分现有的视频驱动的人脸动画方法相比,该系统不需要使用脸部标志和三维扫描设备,极大地方便了用户使用.     

从视频中恢复三维人脸的实时方法

三维人脸恢复是视觉交互的一个难点问题,提出了一种从视频中实时恢复三维人脸的新方法.该方法利用主动形状模型进行人脸特征点提取和跟踪,确保了三维形状恢复和特征跟踪的有效性和一致性;采用非刚体形状和运动估计方法构建三维形变基,有效地适应人脸形状变化的多样性;采用非线性优化算法估算人脸姿态和三维形变基参数,实现了三维人脸形状和姿态的实时恢复.实验结果表明,该方法不仅能从视频中实时恢复三维人脸模型,而且可有效跟踪人脸各种姿态的变化.     

基于模型的头部运动估计和面部图像合成

文中讨论一种基于模型的头部运动估计和面部图像合成方法。首先建立了一个基于人脸几何模型的可变形三维面部模型,此模型可根据不同人脸图像特征修正特定人脸模型。为了使特定人脸模型与特定人脸图像相匹配,需根据变形模型修正人脸模型。文中采用自动调整与人机交互相结合的方法实现特定人脸模型匹配。在调整完模型形状之后,应用３个方向的面部图像进行纹理映射生成不同视点方向的面部图像。应用合成面部图像与输入面部图像最佳匹     

Three-dimensional cartoon facial animation based on art rules

Three-dimensional (3D) cartoon facial animation is one step further than the challenging 3D caricaturing which generates 3D still caricatures only. In this paper, a 3D cartoon facial animation system is developed for a subject given only a single frontal face image of a neutral expression. The system is composed of three steps consisting of 3D cartoon face exaggeration, texture processing, and 3D cartoon facial animation. By following caricaturing rules of artists, instead of mathematical formulations, 3D cartoon face exaggeration is accomplished at both global and local levels. As a result, the final exaggeration is capable of depicting the characteristics of an input face while achieving artistic deformations. In the texture processing step, texture coordinates of the vertices of the cartoon face model are obtained by mapping the parameterized grid of the standard face model to a cartoon face template and aligning the input face to the face template. Finally, 3D cartoon facial animation is implemented in the MPEG-4 animation framework. In order to avoid time-consuming construction of a face animation table, we propose to utilize the tables of existing models through model mapping. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed system.     

Robust online appearance models for visual tracking

We propose a framework for learning robust, adaptive, appearance models to be used for motion-based tracking of natural objects. The model adapts to slowly changing appearance, and it maintains a natural measure of the stability of the observed image structure during tracking. By identifying stable properties of appearance, we can weight them more heavily for motion estimation, while less stable properties can be proportionately downweighted. The appearance model involves a mixture of stable image structure, learned over long time courses, along with two-frame motion information and an outlier process. An online EM-algorithm is used to adapt the appearance model parameters over time. An implementation of this approach is developed for an appearance model based on the filter responses from a steerable pyramid. This model is used in a motion-based tracking algorithm to provide robustness in the face of image outliers, such as those caused by occlusions, while adapting to natural changes in appearance such as those due to facial expressions or variations in 3D pose.