Implementing phicons: combining computer vision with infrared technology for interactive physical icons

ABSTRACT

This paper describes a novel physical icon [3] (“phicon”) based system that can be programmed to issue a range of commands about what the user wishes to do with handdrawn whiteboard content. Through the phicon's UI, a command to process whiteboard context is issued using infrared signaling in combination with image processing and a ceiling-mounted camera system. We leverage camera systems that are already used for capturing whiteboard content [4] by further augmenting these systems to detect the presence and location of IR beacons within an image. An HDLC-based protocol and a built-in IR transmitter are used to send these signals.

REFERENCES

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)

Additional Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.5 PATTERN RECOGNITION

General Terms:
Design, Management, Theory

Keywords:
HDLC, computer vision, image processing, infrared, phicons, physical UI, physical icons, tangible user interfaces, ubiquitous computing