Januslights: A Camera-Projection System for Telematic Omni-Presence with Correct Eye Gaze

Abstract

We present a camera-projection system for single- or multi-party tele-presence which allows for correct eye gaze, and unlike standard videophony, provides a great deal of spatial context. The unique feature of our system is a combination of omnidirectional video capture and display from corresponding projection centers. In essence, this creates a virtual overlap between the screen and the camera, which results in the participant looking directly into the camera whilst looking at the display. The novelty in this approach is that we correct eye gaze without the need of interpolating multiple views. With a given external calibration of the camera-projector setup, the mapping used for this system has to be calculated only once. This makes it possible for the entire setup to be implemented on commodity hardware and the GPU.