Compositing computer graphics and real world video sequences

This paper describes new techniques for compositing computer generated images and real world video sequences obtained using a camcorder. The methods described here can be used to produce animations of computer generated images in an accurate real background. Such animations can be applied, for example, in the environmental assessment and pie-evaluation of the visual impact of large scale constructions. The main advantage of the methods proposed here is that in order to track the camera position and merge computer graphics and real images, only the frames from the video sequence are analyzed, without the use of costly sensors usually applied to the camera movement detection. The problems of transition from analog images. captured by a camcorder, to the digital pictures used in computer graphics rue also discussed. The proposed algorithms may be directly used in applications of computer graphics such as: multimedia, augmented reality, telepresence, visual simulators, and in all internet/WWW applications requiring those features. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.