After more than 40 years of operation, DTVE is closing its doors and our website will no longer be updated daily. Thank you for all of your support.
Google works on ‘removing headsets’ in mixed reality
Google is working on ways to reveal a person’s facial expressions when they are wearing a virtual reality headset.
Using a combination of machine learning, 3D computer vision, and advanced rendering techniques, Google claims it can now “remove” headsets to show a person’s identity, focus and full face in mixed reality.
Mixed reality is a way to convey what’s happening inside and outside a virtual place in a two dimensional format. With this new technology, we’re able to make a more complete picture of the person in VR,” said Google Research software engineer, Avneesh Sud, in a company blog post.
“Using a calibrated VR setup including a headset (like the HTC Vive), a green screen, and a video camera, combined with accurate tracking and segmentation, you can see the ‘real world’ and the interactive virtual elements together.”
By mimicking where a person is looking, even though it’s hidden under a headset Google has been able to create what it described as a “translucent ‘scuba mask’ look”.
Google can then calibrate the Vive tracking system and the external camera to create a vision of the person in the virtual world.
“The end result is a complete view of both the virtual world and the person in it, including their entire face and where they’re looking,” said Sud.
Google’s work on mixed reality is a joint effort between Google Research, Daydream Labs, and the YouTube team.