System and method for close-range movement tracking

1. A method for operating a user interface system comprising:

acquiring depth image data of a hand of a user with a depth sensor;

identifying positions of fingers of the hand using 3D data that includes the depth image data, the fingers including a first finger and a second finger;

tracking a movement of the fingers of the hand based on the positions of the fingers using the 3D data;

constructing a model of the hand based on the tracking;

displaying, using the 3D data, a representation of the hand on a screen as a first object performing gestures corresponding to the movement of the fingers of the hand based on the model;

detecting a gesture corresponding to the movement of the fingers of the hand based on the model, wherein the first finger is associated with a first function of the user interface system, and the second finger is associated with a second function of the user interface system, the first function different from the second function, and wherein the movement of the fingers of the hand within a subset of joints in the model of the hand is identified to interact with other objects on the screen;

selecting a second object using the first finger and selecting a third object using the second finger;

manipulating the second object displayed on the screen according to the first function associated with the first finger detected as part of the gesture; and

manipulating the third object displayed on the screen according to the second function associated with the second finger.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the movement of the fingers of the hand is identified to interact with other objects on the screen.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gesture is a selection gesture, and wherein the first object on the screen is used to select the second object on the screen.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gesture is a manipulation gesture, and wherein the second object on the screen is manipulated according to a predefined action associated with the manipulation gesture.

5. The method of claim 1 , further including:

determining a distance of the hand from the screen; and

zooming the screen in and out based on changes in the distance.

6. The method of claim 5 , further including moving a cursor on the screen to indicate a selected object from a set of objects on the screen, wherein the cursor is moved based upon the distance of the hand from the screen, wherein moving the cursor includes moving the cursor towards a bottom of the set of objects as the hand moves closer to the screen and moving the cursor towards a top of the set of objects as the hand moves farther from the screen.

7. The method of claim 1 , further including scaling a size of the first object based on a distance of the hand from the screen.

8. A system comprising:

a depth sensor to acquire depth image data of a hand of a user; and

a processor coupled to the depth sensor, wherein the processor is configured to:

identify positions of fingers of the hand using 3D data that includes the depth image data, the fingers including a first finger and a second finger;

track a movement of the fingers of the hand based on the positions of the fingers using the 3D data;

construct a model of the hand based on the tracking;

display, using the 3D data, a representation of the hand on a screen as a first object performing gestures corresponding to the movement of the fingers of the hand, and as the first object interacts with separate objects on the screen, detect the fingers associated with the gestures, each finger associated with a different function, wherein

the first finger is associated with a first function of the user interface system,

the second finger is associated with a second function of the user interface system, the first function different from the second function, and

the movement of fingers of the hand within a subset of joints in the model of the hand is identified to interact with other objects on the screen;

select a second object using the first finger and select a third object using the second finger; and

modify a display on the screen in response to manipulating the second object according to the first function and manipulating the third object according to the second function detected as part of the gestures.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the movement of the fingers of the hand is identified to interact with other objects on the screen.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the movement of fingers of the hand corresponds to a selection gesture, and wherein the first object on the screen is used to select the second object on the screen.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the movement of the fingers of the hand corresponds to a manipulation gesture, wherein the second object on the screen is manipulated according to a predefined action associated with the manipulation gesture.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is to determine a distance of the hand from the screen and zoom the screen in and out based on changes in the distance.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is to move a cursor on the screen to indicate a selected object from a set of objects on the screen, wherein the cursor is moved based upon the distance of the hand from the screen, wherein moving the cursor includes moving the cursor towards a bottom of the set of objects as the hand moves closer to the screen and moving the cursor towards a top of the set of objects as the hand moves farther from the screen.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to scale a size of the first object based on a distance of the hand from the screen.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

acquire depth image data of a hand of a user with a depth sensor;

identify positions of fingers of the hand using 3D data that includes the depth image data, the fingers including a first finger and a second finger;

track a movement of the fingers of the hand based on the positions of the fingers using the 3D data;

construct a model of the hand based on the tracking;

display, using the 3D data, a representation of the hand on a screen as a first object performing gestures corresponding to the movement of the fingers of the hand based on the model;

detect a gesture corresponding to the movement of the fingers of the hand based on the model, wherein the first finger is associated with a first function of the user interface system, and the second finger is associated with a second function of the user interface system, wherein the first function is different from the second function, wherein the movement of fingers of the hand within a subset of joints in the model of the hand is identified to interact with other objects on the screen;

manipulate a second object displayed on the screen according to the first function associated with the first finger detected as part of the gesture; and

manipulate a third object displayed on the screen according to the second function associated with the second finger.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

acquire depth image data of a hand of a user with a depth sensor;

identify positions of fingers of the hand using 3D data that includes the depth image data, the fingers including a first finger and a second finger;

track a movement of the fingers of the hand based on the positions of the fingers using the 3D data;

construct a model of the hand based on the tracking;

display, using the 3D data, a representation of the hand on a screen as a first object performing gestures corresponding to the movement of the fingers of the hand based on the model;

detect a gesture corresponding to the movement of the fingers of the hand based on the model, wherein the first finger is associated with a first function of the user interface system, and the second finger is associated with a second function of the user interface system, wherein the first function is different from the second function, wherein the movement of fingers of the hand within a subset of joints in the model of the hand corresponds to a selection gesture, wherein the first object on the screen selects a second object on the screen;

manipulate the second object displayed on the screen according to the first function associated with the first finger detected as part of the gesture; and

manipulate a third object displayed on the screen according to the second function associated with the second finger.