Illumination Neutralization With Application in Tracking (TRACKING)

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Principal Investigator: Dr. Panayiotis Zaphiris

Programme: International Cooperation

Research Staff: Fernando Loizides

Total Funding: 60,000 euro

Funding to the Lab: 16,560 euro

Funding Source: Research Promotion Foundation, European Regional Development Fund (ΔΙΕΘΝΗΣ/ΣΤΟΧΟΣ/0609)

Duration: 2 years (Sept 2011 – August 2012)

Partners:

• Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) : Panayiotis Zaphiris (Coordinator), Andreas Lanitis, Charis Poullis, Andrew Laghos
• University of Cyprus (Yiorgos Chrysanthou)
• Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT) (Baoquan Chen)

Project Summary:

The objective of this proposal is to bring together the two main public academic institutions of Cyprus with a major research institution in China. The collaboration will be achieved through the implementation of a joint research project that lies at the intersection of the interests of the three parties. The aim of the research is to use advances in computer graphics (CG) techniques to help solve a classical computer vision (CV) problem: tracking. Traditionally CV approaches try to derive all the required information from the input images. This can lead to techniques that are unnecessarily compute-intensive and sensitive. Modern capture techniques can provide, in a fast way, information about the scene and incoming illumination. With this as input we will develop  a novel approach for real-time illumination neutralization. The “neutralized” images will the be used as an input to the tracking module to increase its accuracy.

The largest current area of applications for CG & CV  techniques is gaming. An area that all partners have an interest. A second objective of this proposal is to investigate the future potential of computer game research and industry in Cyprus with a view to how this field has developed in China and the wider South-East Asia region.

Methodology:

Cyprus Interaction Lab is primarily involved in the second objective of the project. Using various data colleciton techniques a roadmap for the establishment of a computer game industry and research in Cyprus will be created.

Sponsors: