FaceApi

I found this kick ass system called FaceApi made by Seeing Machines. It looks like it does pretty advanced head tracking using only a webcam. I looked at their website and I guess the license is free provided that it is being used for a non-commercial hobby project, which I would be using it for.

Cool Projector Project

Here is a cool project that I found a while ago. Like my project it uses top down projection, Ogre for rendering, and overhead cameras. Definitely a cool project.

He is the website for the company and here is the showcase thread on the Ogre Forums.

Laptop Has Arrived

Alright so after 5 days, I finally have my laptop that was supposed to come with next day delivery.

The screen is only 15.4", but its way bigger than I expected. I had to go through about an hour of setup time. I also had to download new video drivers because the only available refresh rate was 18 hertz.

I am installing Visual Studio 2005 right now. In the next couple of days I will be installing all of the needed software.

Head Tracking

So I was originally going to do a home brew head tracking solution ala Johnny Lee (see Wii Head Tracking vid below), but now I am considering using TrackIR which is a consumer product that I can buy for around $100. The big problem with using TrackIR is that I don't know how my program would interface with it. Perhaps there is an SDK that comes along with it. I will have to research further.

Wii Head Tracking

TrackIR

Laptops Away!

I sent a bitchy email to NewEgg and I finally got confirmation that my order has gone through. Ideally my laptop would arrive tomorrow, but I doubt it. Once I get my laptop I have to get setup for development. This involves:

- Install Visual Studio 2005
- Install Latest OgreSDK
- Install DirectX SDK
- Install XBox360 Controllers
- Test Battle Kart to ensure that my games work on my new system
- Convert Battle Kart to compile/run with the newest OgreSDK
- Install PS Eyetoy as Webcam
- Install AR Toolkit
- Compile AR Toolkit in VS 2005 to get 2005 version libs
- Compile Mr. Planet in VS 2005 to get 2005 version libs
- Fix Flipped Webcam image problem
- Install Maya
- Install Photoshop

After these steps are completed I will be able to start integrating the relevant AR Toolkit and Mr. Planet code into a new CyberTable project solution. That solution will be a hollowed out version of Battle Kart. This will work well because it will already be setup to load maya scene files. Not to mention it will have Newton physics integrated as well!

This will be a lot of work to get to the starting line, but I believe this is a kick ass project and I am ready to get going!

New Laptop Debacle

Yesterday I ordered my laptop from NewEgg.com. I got an email saying that my card was declined so I checked to see that I had the available credit and that my info was entered correctly. I resubmitted and got the same "card declined" email. I called citi and they said that the purchase was flagged and that if I tried again the purchase would go through.

I reordered the laptop, but this time I got an email that my address did not match the one on file at citi. I wanted the laptop shipped to my work address so I had to call citi again and have them put down my work address as a valid alternative to my billing address.

I live chatted with someone at NewEgg and she said that she would have the bank called again so that the order would go through. Three hours passed with no word from NewEgg so I live chatted someone again for answers. He gave me free shipping for my troubles and said that he would have the bank called again.

This morning I still had not heard from NewEgg so I contacted them again. They said that the order had been resubmitted and that it should go through shortly. That was 2 hours ago already. WTF NewEgg?

Head Tracking Projection

The projection done in the CyberTable relies on the knowledge of where the viewers head is. If the CyberTable knows the location and orientation of the user's head, it can use this information to draw the projected world in such away that the objects appear to be 3D to the user.

Julian Beever's pavement drawings are a good example of this concept.

Since the artist knows where the viewer's head is, he is able to create his image in such a way that the world "pops out" of the sidewalk as if it were 3D. Viewing the image from a different angle shows the distortion in the image.