Robohub.org
 

Appearance manipulation system changes the look of printed materials and objects

by
04 September 2013



share this:
Appearance manipulation system changes the look of printed materials and objects

Researchers at Wakayama University are developing a system that manipulates the color, tone and contrast of printed materials, and could be used as an aid for users with vision impairments such as low vision or color blindness.

“In this research, we use a projector and camera to freely manipulate the tone and contrast of printed materials like this, by shining light onto them.”

“Right now, white light from the projector is hitting the material. In this device, there’s a camera, which photographs the scene. By controlling the projected light based on the scene, we can make the colors more vivid, for example, like this. The way the system works is, to put it very simply: Blue light is projected onto blue parts, and red light onto red parts, making the colors more vivid.”

“By changing the image processing, we can change color tones as well, like this. We can also make the picture monochrome, make the brightness uniform, or increase the contrast.”

“The point about this technology is, this kind of processing can be done dynamically. In other words, even if the printed material is moved, the system can track it and emphasize the colors.”

“When the light is projected, the actual color tone changes. So, the camera captures the altered color tone. The problem with that is, you can no longer tell how many real colors there are, or how many colors should be projected next. In this research, the system calculates the physical reflectivity of the captured image and the projected image. That estimation is a major feature of this technology.”

“One possible application for this is augmenting human vision. For example, if a person is colorblind, this system could adjust color tones so colors can be distinguished, even if there are combinations of confusing colors. Or a person with cataracts could be helped to see other people’s expressions, by emphasizing outlines.”

Also, by arranging the camera and projector into the same position optically, this image processing technique can be applied to 3D objects as well.

“We’ve added a texture adjustment algorithm, to make opaque objects look semi-transparent, or emphasize their luster, to make them look metallic.”

“We’re currently looking for businesses that might have applications for this technology.”



tags: , ,


DigInfo TV is a Tokyo-based online video news platform dedicated to producing original coverage of cutting edge technology, research and products from Japan.
DigInfo TV is a Tokyo-based online video news platform dedicated to producing original coverage of cutting edge technology, research and products from Japan.





Related posts :



Open Robotics Launches the Open Source Robotics Alliance

The Open Source Robotics Foundation (OSRF) is pleased to announce the creation of the Open Source Robotics Alliance (OSRA), a new initiative to strengthen the governance of our open-source robotics so...

Robot Talk Episode 77 – Patricia Shaw

In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Patricia Shaw from Aberystwyth University all about home assistance robots, and robot learning and development.
18 March 2024, by

Robot Talk Episode 64 – Rav Chunilal

In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Rav Chunilal from Sellafield all about robotics and AI for nuclear decommissioning.
31 December 2023, by

AI holidays 2023

Thanks to those that sent and suggested AI and robotics-themed holiday videos, images, and stories. Here’s a sample to get you into the spirit this season....
31 December 2023, by and

Faced with dwindling bee colonies, scientists are arming queens with robots and smart hives

By Farshad Arvin, Martin Stefanec, and Tomas Krajnik Be it the news or the dwindling number of creatures hitting your windscreens, it will not have evaded you that the insect world in bad shape. ...
31 December 2023, by

Robot Talk Episode 63 – Ayse Kucukyilmaz

In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Ayse Kucukyilmaz from the University of Nottingham about collaboration, conflict and failure in human-robot interactions.
31 December 2023, by





Robohub is supported by:




Would you like to learn how to tell impactful stories about your robot or AI system?


scicomm
training the next generation of science communicators in robotics & AI


©2024 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence


 












©2021 - ROBOTS Association