Computing device interface

1. A computing device configured for providing an interface, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable to:

project a projected image from a projector;

capture an image using a camera, wherein the camera operates in a visible spectrum;

calibrate the computing device;

detect a hand;

track the hand by scanning a search space within the captured image for a tracking pattern representative of the hand, the search space size being based on the hand size, the hand size being determined by a change in intensity of a portion of the captured image; and

perform an operation.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein calibrating the computing device comprises:

finding corners of the projected image; and

mapping coordinates of the projected image to a desktop space.

3. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein calibrating the computing device comprises determining the hand size.

4. The computing device of claim 3 , wherein the hand size is determined based on the projected image, wherein the projected image comprises a plurality of ellipses.

5. The computing device of claim 3 , wherein the hand size is determined based on facial recognition.

6. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the hand is detected in an initial interaction area.

7. The computing device of claim 6 , wherein the instructions are further executable to:

track a body; and

move the initial interaction area based on tracking the body.

8. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable to determine that the tracking pattern is matched to a hand.

9. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable to dynamically change the search space based on a motion of the hand.

10. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the tracking pattern comprises a rectangular center dark region adjoined on three sides by rectangular light outer regions and adjoined on one side by a rectangular dark outer region.

11. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the operation is performed based on tracking the hand.

12. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable to recognize a hand gesture based on a gesture pattern.

13. The computing device of claim 12 , wherein recognizing a hand gesture further comprises:

determining whether a tracked hand has stopped moving for a period of time; and

scaling a tracked hand image to a fixed size.

14. The computing device of claim 12 , wherein the gesture pattern comprises a rectangular center dark region adjoined on two sides by rectangular light outer regions.

15. The computing device of claim 12 , wherein the instructions are further executable to perform an operation based on the recognized hand gesture.

16. The computing device of claim 12 , wherein the instructions are further executable to perform an operation when the hand gesture is recognized for a percentage of a number of frames.

17. The computing device of claim 12 , wherein the hand gesture is recognized based on an angle between a thumb and index finger, and wherein the instructions are further executable to move a cursor away from the hand based on the angle between the thumb and index finger.

18. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable to illuminate the projected image more brightly in a region around a hand.

19. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable to track a plurality of hands.

20. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable to recognize a plurality of hand gestures.

21. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable to remove dark portions of the image before tracking the hand to avoid tracking a shadow of the hand.

22. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable to provide improved focus and exposure of the image in an area of the projected image.

23. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the operation releases a cursor.

24. A method for providing an interface, comprising:

projecting a projected image from a projector;

capturing an image using a camera, wherein the camera operates in a visible spectrum;

calibrating a computing device;

detecting, by the computing device, a hand;

tracking, by the computing device, the hand by scanning a search space within the captured image for a tracking pattern representative of the hand, the search space size being based on the hand size, the hand size being determined by a change in intensity of a portion of the captured image; and

performing an operation by the computing device.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein calibrating the computing device comprises:

finding corners of the projected image; and

mapping coordinates of the projected image to a desktop space.

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein calibrating the computing device comprises determining the hand size.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the hand size is determined based on the projected image, wherein the projected image comprises a plurality of ellipses.

28. The method of claim 26 , wherein the hand size is determined based on facial recognition.

29. The method of claim 24 , wherein the hand is detected in an initial interaction area.

30. The method of claim 29 , further comprising:

tracking a body; and

moving the initial interaction area based on tracking the body.

31. The method of claim 24 , further comprising determining that the tracking pattern is matched to a hand.

32. The method of claim 24 , further comprising dynamically changing the search space dynamically based on a motion of the hand.

33. The method of claim 24 , wherein the tracking pattern comprises a rectangular center dark region adjoined on three sides by rectangular light outer regions and adjoined on one side by a rectangular dark outer region.

34. The method of claim 24 , wherein the operation is performed based on tracking the hand.

35. The method of claim 24 , further comprising recognizing a hand gesture based on a gesture pattern.

36. The method of claim 35 , wherein recognizing a hand gesture further comprises:

determining whether a tracked hand has stopped moving for a period of time; and

scaling a tracked hand image to a fixed size.

37. The method of claim 35 , wherein the gesture pattern comprises a rectangular center dark region adjoined on two sides by rectangular light outer regions.

38. The method of claim 35 , further comprising performing an operation based on the recognized hand gesture.

39. The method of claim 35 , further comprising performing an operation when the hand gesture is recognized for a percentage of a number of frames.

40. The method of claim 35 , wherein the hand gesture is recognized based on an angle between a thumb and index finger, and the method further comprises moving a cursor away from the hand based on the angle between the thumb and index finger.

41. The method of claim 24 , further comprising illuminating the projected image more brightly in a region around a hand.

42. The method of claim 24 , further comprising tracking a plurality of hands.

43. The method of claim 24 , further comprising recognizing a plurality of hand gestures.

44. The method of claim 24 , further comprising removing dark portions of the image before tracking the hand to avoid tracking a shadow of the hand.

45. The method of claim 24 , further comprising providing improved focus and exposure of the image in an area of the projected image.

46. The method of claim 38 , wherein the operation releases a cursor.

47. A computer-program product for providing an interface, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium having instructions thereon, the instructions comprising:

code for causing a computing device to project a projected image from a projector;

code for causing the computing device to capture an image using a camera, wherein the camera operates in a visible spectrum;

code for causing the computing device to calibrate the computing device;

code for causing the computing device to detect a hand;

code for causing the computing device to track the hand by scanning a search space within the captured image for a tracking pattern representative of the hand, the search space size being based on the hand size, the hand size being determined by a change in intensity of a portion of the captured image; and

code for causing the computing device to perform an operation.

48. The computer-program product of claim 47 , wherein the hand is detected in an initial interaction area.

49. The computer-program product of claim 47 , wherein the instructions further comprise code for causing the computing device to recognize a hand gesture based on a gesture pattern.

50. An apparatus for providing an interface, comprising:

means for projecting a projected image from a projector;

means for capturing an image using a camera, wherein the camera operates in a visible spectrum;

means for calibrating the apparatus;

means for detecting a hand;

means for tracking the hand by scanning a search space within the captured image for a tracking pattern representative of the hand, the search space size being based on the hand size, the hand size being determined by a change in intensity of a portion of the captured image; and

means for performing an operation.

51. The apparatus of claim 50 , wherein the hand is detected in an initial interaction area.

52. The apparatus of claim 50 , further comprising means for recognizing a hand gesture based on a gesture pattern.