Wearable imaging system for capturing omnidirectional movies from a first-person perspective

We propose a novel wearable imaging system that can capture omnidirectional movies from the viewpoint of the camera wearer. The imaging system solves the problems of resolution uniformity and gaze matching that conventional approaches do not address. We combine cameras with curved mirrors that control the projection of the imaging system to produce uniform resolution. Use of the mirrors also enables the viewpoint to be moved closer to the eyes of the camera wearer, thus reducing gaze mismatching. The optics, including the curved mirror, have been designed to form an objective projection. The capability of the designed optics is evaluated with respect to resolution, aberration, and gaze matching. We have developed a prototype based on the designed optics for practical use. Capability of the prototype and effectiveness of first-person perspective omnidirectional movies were demonstrated through quantitative evaluations and presentation experiments to ordinary people, respectively.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2009
• Where: VRST
• Authors: Kazuaki Kondo, Yasuhiro Mukaigawa, Yasushi Yagi
• Keywords: Camera Wearer, Curved Mirror, Omnidirectional Movies, Software Engineering, VRST 2009