Apparatus, system and method for projecting images onto predefined portions of objects
Apparatus, systems and methods are provided for illuminating objects in a projection area. The system includes a computing device, a projector and a camera. The computing device stores a digital model of an object, and illumination data having lighting parameters and a reference to the digital model. The projector, or another light source, projects structured light onto the projection area, and the camera simultaneously captures an image of the projection area. The computing device receives the captured image, determines a position and orientation of the object by comparing the digital model to the captured image, and then generates a canvas image including a region matching the determined position and orientation of the object. The projector projects the canvas image onto the projection area. A predefined portion of the object corresponding to the reference in the illumination data is thereby illuminated according to the lighting parameters.
1. A system for illuminating objects in a projection area, comprising:
a computing device storing:
geometry data defining a digital model of an object; the geometry data including identifiers of parts of the digital model; and
illumination data containing a record having (i) one or more parameters defining characteristics of light to be projected onto the object, and (ii) a reference to the digital model consisting of at least one of the identifiers; the illumination data including an additional record having a null reference to the geometry data;
a light source connected to the computing device and configured to project structured light onto the projection area;
a camera connected to the computing device and configured to capture an image of the projection area during the projection of structured light;
the computing device configured to receive the captured image from the camera and to determine a position and orientation of the object in the projection area by comparing the geometry data to the captured image;
the computing device further configured to generate a canvas image including a region matching the determined position and orientation of the object, the region having a fill defined by the one or more parameters;
the computing device further configured to transmit the canvas image to a projector, for projection onto the projection area, whereby a portion of the object corresponding to the reference in the image data is illuminated according to the one or more parameters.
2. The system of claim 1 , the computing device configured to determine a position of the object by detecting signatures in the captured image corresponding to the digital model, and comparing the signatures to the geometry data.
3. The system of claim 2 , the computing device configured to apply transformations to the digital model such that the transformed digital model matches the signatures;
the computing device further configured to generate the region of the canvas image based on at least one of the transformations.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light source is a component of the projector.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the projection area contains at least one of a plurality of objects; and wherein the geometry data defines a plurality of digital models corresponding to the plurality of objects;
the computing device configured to detect signatures corresponding to at least one of the plurality of digital models in the captured image.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters include a target brightness parameter and a colour parameter.
7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising detecting a brightness of the object, and selecting a fill brightness for the region based on the target brightness and the detected brightness.
8. A computing device for use in a system for illuminating objects in a projection area, the computing device comprising:
a memory storing:
geometry data defining a digital model of an object; the geometry data including identifiers of parts of the digital model; and
illumination data containing a record having (i) one or more parameters defining characteristics of light to be projected onto the object, and (ii) a reference to the digital model consisting of at least one of the identifiers; the illumination data including an additional record having a null reference to the geometry data;
a data interface configured to communicate with a light source, a projector and a camera; and
a processor interconnected with the memory and the data interface, the processor configured to:
control the light source to project structured light onto the projection area;
control the camera to capture an image of the projection area during the projection of structured light;
receive the captured image from the camera, and determine a position and orientation of the object in the projection area by comparing the geometry data to the captured image;
generate a canvas image including a region matching the determined position and orientation of the object, the region having a fill defined by the one or more parameters; and
transmit the canvas image to a projector, for projection onto the projection area, whereby a portion of the object corresponding to the reference in the illumination data is illuminated according to the one or more parameters.
9. The computing device of claim 8 , the processor configured to determine a position of the object by detecting signatures in the captured image corresponding to the digital model, and comparing the signatures to the geometry data.
10. The computing device of claim 9 , the processor configured to apply transformations to the digital model such that the transformed digital model matches the signatures;
the processor further configured to generate the region of the canvas image based on at least one of the transformations.
11. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the light source is a component of the projector.
12. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the projection area contains at least one of a plurality of objects; and wherein the geometry data defines a plurality of digital models corresponding to the plurality of objects;
the processor configured to detect signatures corresponding to at least one of the plurality of digital models in the captured image.
13. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more parameters include a target brightness parameter and a colour parameter.
14. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the geometry data includes identifiers of parts of the digital model; and wherein the reference in the illumination data consists of at least one of the identifiers.
15. The computing device system of claim 13 , the processor further configured to detect a brightness of the object, and select a fill brightness for the region based on the target brightness and the detected brightness.
16. The computing device of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the one or more parameters is dynamically variable.
17. A method of illuminating objects in a projection area, comprising:
storing, in a memory of a computing device:
geometry data defining a digital model of an object; the geometry data including identifiers of parts of the digital model; and
illumination data containing a record having (i) one or more parameters defining characteristics of light to be projected onto the object, and (ii) a reference to the digital model consisting of at least one of the identifiers; the illumination data including an additional record having a null reference to the geometry data;
controlling a light source connected to the computing device to project structured light onto the projection area;
controlling a camera connected to the computing device to capture an image of the projection area during the projection of structured light;
receiving the captured image at the computing device from the camera and determining a position and orientation of the object in the projection area by comparing the geometry data to the captured image;
generating a canvas image at the computing device, including a region matching the determined position and orientation of the object, the region having a fill defined by the one or more parameters;
transmitting the canvas image to a projector connected to the computing device, for projection onto the projection area, whereby a portion of the object corresponding to the reference in the illumination data is illuminated according to the one or more parameters.
18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of computer readable instructions executable by a processor of a computing device, for causing the processor to perform a method of illuminating objects in a projection area, the method comprising:
storing, in a memory of a computing device:
geometry data defining a digital model of an object; the geometry data including identifiers of parts of the digital model; and
illumination data containing a record having (i) one or more parameters defining characteristics of light to be projected onto the object, and (ii) a reference to the digital model consisting of at least one of the identifiers; the illumination data including an additional record having a null reference to the geometry data;
controlling a light source connected to the computing device to project structured light onto the projection area;
controlling a camera connected to the computing device to capture an image of the projection area during the projection of structured light;
receiving the captured image at the computing device from the camera and determining a position and orientation of the object in the projection area by comparing the geometry data to the captured image;
generating a canvas image at the computing device, including a region matching the determined position and orientation of the object, the region having a fill defined by the one or more parameters;
transmitting the canvas image to a projector connected to the computing device, for projection onto the projection area, whereby a portion of the object corresponding to the reference in the illumination data is illuminated according to the one or more parameters.