Detection of pointing object and activity object

1. A method comprising:

capturing, using a video capture device of a computing device, a video stream of a physical activity scene, the video stream including an activity scene and a pointing object present in the activity scene, a portion of the pointing object including a visually detectable marking;

processing, using a processor of a computing device, the video stream for the visually detectable marking on the portion of the pointing object;

determining, using the processor of the computing device, a position of the visually detectable marking on the portion of the pointing object relative to a graphical element in the activity scene;

determining, using the processor of the computing device, that the position of the visually detectable marking on the portion of the pointing object is pointing to the graphical element; and

generating, using the processor of the computing device, a virtual scene based on the determination that the visually detectable marking on the portion of the pointing object is pointing to the graphical element; and

presenting, in a display of the computing device, the virtual scene.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visually detectable marking includes a pointing marker and determining a position of the visually detectable marking on the portion of the pointing object further comprises:

identifying, using the processor of the computing device, the pointing marker in the video stream; and

determining, using the processor of the computing device, the position of the portion of the pointing object using the identified pointing marker.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the pointing marker comprises a dark colored ring surrounded by a light-colored ring that contrasts the dark colored ring.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pointing object is a shape that is detectable by the computing device.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the shape is one of a rod, a pointer, and a magnifying glass.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pointing object includes a tip that has a hollowed out center that is configured to be placed over the graphical element.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the tip of the pointing object includes a pattern, the method further comprising:

detecting, using the processor of the computing device, the pattern of the tip of the pointing object; and

determining, using the processor of the computing device, a position of the tip of the pointing object based on the detected pattern.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the position of the visually detectable marking on the portion of the pointing object is pointing to the graphical element further comprises:

mapping, using the processor of the computing device, the activity scene into grid sections and assigning the position of the visually detectable marking on the portion of the pointing object to a first grid section;

comparing, using the processor of the computing device, the first grid section to a grid section that includes the graphical element; and

determining, using the processor of the computing device, that the first grid section is the grid section that includes the graphical element.

9. A physical activity surface visualization system comprising:

a stand configured to position a computing device having one or more processors;

a video capture device configured to capture a video stream of a physical activity scene, the video stream including an activity scene and a pointing object present in the activity scene, a portion of the pointing object including a visually detectable marking;

a detector executable by the one or more processors to detect the visually detectable marking on the portion of the pointing object in the video stream; and

an activity application executable by the one or more processors to determine that a position of the visually detectable marking on the portion of the pointing object is pointing to a graphical element in the activity scene and generate a virtual scene based on the determination that the visually detectable marking on the portion of the pointing object is pointing to the graphical element; and

a display configured to render the virtual scene.

10. The physical activity surface visualization system of claim 9 , wherein the visually detectable marking includes a pointing marker and the activity application is further configured to identify the pointing marker in the video stream and determine the position of the pointing object using the identified pointing marker.

11. The physical activity surface visualization system of claim 10 , wherein the pointing marker comprises a dark colored ring surrounded by a light colored ring that contrasts the dark colored ring.

12. The physical activity surface visualization system of claim 9 , wherein the pointing object is a shape that is detectable by the computing device.

13. The physical activity surface visualization system of claim 12 , wherein the shape is one of a rod, a pointer, and a magnifying glass.

14. The physical activity surface visualization system of claim 9 , wherein the pointing object includes a tip that has a hollowed-out center that is configured to be placed over the graphical element.

15. The physical activity surface visualization system of claim 14 , wherein the tip of the pointing object includes a pattern and the activity application is further configured to detect the pattern of the tip of the pointing object and determine position of the tip of the pointing object based on the detected pattern.

16. The physical activity surface visualization system of claim 9 , wherein determining that the position of the visually detectable marking of the pointing object is pointing to the graphical element further comprises:

map the activity scene into grid sections and assigning the position of the visually detectable marking of the pointing object to a first grid section;

comparing the first grid section to a grid section that includes the graphical element; and

determine that the first grid section is the grid section that includes the graphical element.

17. A method comprising:

capturing, using a video capture device of a computing device, a video stream of a physical activity scene, the video stream including an activity scene with a graphical element and a pointing object present, a portion of the pointing object including a visually detectable marking;

processing, using a processor of a computing device, the video stream for visually detectable marking on the portion of the pointing object and the graphical element;

determining, using the processor of the computing device, a position of the visually detectable marking on the portion of the pointing object relative to the graphical element; and

generating, using the processor of the computing device, a virtual scene based on the determination that the visually detectable marking on the portion of the pointing object is not pointing to the graphical element; and

presenting, in a display of the computing device, the virtual scene.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the virtual scene includes an assistive routine that provides a guidance in the virtual scene to guide a user to move the pointing object to the graphical element.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein determination that the visually detectable marking on the portion of the pointing object is not pointing to the graphical element further comprises:

mapping, using the processor of the computing device, the activity scene into grid sections and assigning the position of the visually detectable marking on the portion of the pointing object to a first grid section;

comparing, using the processor of the computing device, the first grid section to a second grid section that includes the graphical element; and

determining, using the processor of the computing device, that the first grid section is a different grid section than the second grid section that includes the graphical element.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the graphical element is a printed image on an activity object in the activity scene.