Face detection, tracking, and recognition for a visual prosthesis
The present invention is a system for detecting, tracking and recognizing human faces in a visual prosthesis. In a visual prosthesis, the input camera is always higher resolution than the electrode array providing percepts to the subject. It is advantageous to detect, track and recognize human faces. Then information can be provided to the subject by highlighting the face in the visual scene, providing auditor or vibratory notice that a human face is in the visual scene, looking up the face in a database to state the name of the person in the visual scene, otherwise communication id like providing a custom vibratory pattern corresponding to known individuals (like custom ring tones associated with caller ID) or automatically zooming in on a face to aid the subject in identifying the face.
1. A method of aiding a visual prosthesis subject comprising:
observing a visual scene with a video input device, the visual input device having a field of view;
providing a video processing circuit receiving data from the video input device and generating stimulation data;
detecting a face in the field of view with the video processing circuit yielding a detected face;
providing a visual indication of the location of the detected face within the field of view by altering the stimulation data in the video processing circuit; and
stimulating visual neurons of the subject with the stimulation data from the video processing circuit.
2. The method of claim 1 , further including an audio cue identifying the detected face.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting facial characteristic.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the characteristic is gender.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the characteristic is size.
6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the characteristic is distance.
7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the characteristic is head movement.
8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the characteristic is motion.
9. A method of aiding a visual prosthesis subject comprising:
observing a visual scene with a video input device having a field of view;
providing a video processing circuit receiving data from the video input device and generating stimulation data;
detecting a face in the field of view with the video processing circuit, yielding a detected face;
providing a nonvisual cue regarding detected face location, facing direction, or direction of motion of the face to a subject regarding the detected face; and
stimulating visual neurons of the subject with said stimulation data.