[gentoo-user] Idea for Videoconferencing (Video part)

[gentoo-user] Idea for Videoconferencing (Video part)

[Petric Frank]

Hello,

this is not exactly a gentoo issue. But due i am using gentoo i am asking
here.

Problem: Usually the camera is outside of the screen. The user normally looks
at the screen. As result the communication partner(s) see him not looking at
the camera.

Idea: Use two cameras positioned left and right or top and bottom of the
screen. Combine the two video streams and generate a third stream having a
virtual camera positioned at the middle of the screen.

Result: Better communication. The partners always looking in their eyes. At
the same time the screen contents can be viewed.

Is this description clear enough ?

Sounds that feasible ?

Anyone taking the task ?

Or is there a better place to post such an idea ?

kind regards
  Petric

Re: [gentoo-user] Idea for Videoconferencing (Video part)

[Ashley Dixon]

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On Fri, Apr 03, 2020 at 11:16:01AM +0200, Petric Frank wrote:
> Idea: Use two cameras positioned left and right or top and bottom of the
> screen. Combine the two video streams and generate a third stream having a
> virtual camera positioned at the middle of the screen.

How about looking at the camera when you're talking, and looking at the screen
only when absolutely required ? This isn't really a computing issue, but more
one of basic etiquette.

If you were in a real meeting and you had some documents in front of you, I
would think it superfluous to use technology to average out the position of your
eyes (which would unlikely work anyway). I very much doubt that anyone would
find it offensive if you failed to constantly stare at them throughout an entire
interaction, and some may even find it off-putting.

-- 

Ashley Dixon
suugaku.co.uk

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Re: [gentoo-user] Idea for Videoconferencing (Video part)

[Ralph Seichter]

* Petric Frank:

> Problem: Usually the camera is outside of the screen. The user normally looks
> at the screen. As result the communication partner(s) see him not looking at
> the camera.

It may be bothering you, but that's not a problem in any real life
sense. People can either live with it, knowing the reasons behind it, or
look into the camera when speaking, if they want to provide an illusion
of eye contact. Actors have been doing it for ages.

> Anyone taking the task ?

You are aware it is no longer April the first? :-)

-Ralph

Re: [gentoo-user] Idea for Videoconferencing (Video part)

[Ashley Dixon]

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On Fri, Apr 03, 2020 at 05:41:20PM +0200, Ralph Seichter wrote:
> * Petric Frank:
> 
> > Problem: Usually the camera is outside of the screen. The user normally looks
> > at the screen. As result the communication partner(s) see him not looking at
> > the camera.
> 
> It may be bothering you, but that's not a problem in any real life
> sense. People can either live with it, knowing the reasons behind it, or
> look into the camera when speaking, if they want to provide an illusion
> of eye contact. Actors have been doing it for ages.

On a lot of news T.V.\ channels, they place the camera quite far away from the
newsreader, making it almost impossible to notice they are looking at the
teleprompter, instead of directly into the lens. Maybe that would be a solution
to this pressing issue ?

Alternatively, dark glasses could be used, or even better, glasses with painted
eyes on them from the local joke shop. If you were feeling sadistic and wanted
to further the misalignment, how about glasses with spring-loaded eyes ?

-- 

Ashley Dixon
suugaku.co.uk

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Re: [gentoo-user] Idea for Videoconferencing (Video part)

[Petric Frank]

Hello Ralph,

Am Freitag, 3. April 2020, 17:41:20 CEST schrieb Ralph Seichter:
> * Petric Frank:
> > Problem: Usually the camera is outside of the screen. The user normally
> > looks at the screen. As result the communication partner(s) see him not
> > looking at the camera.
>
> It may be bothering you, but that's not a problem in any real life
> sense. People can either live with it, knowing the reasons behind it, or
> look into the camera when speaking, if they want to provide an illusion
> of eye contact. Actors have been doing it for ages.

But normal people aren't professional actors. I thought i could be a technical
solution. Making life easier in this corona-days with increasing video
conferences.
I know, many people don't mind. But i think eye contact is a good thing while
working on the screen.

> > Anyone taking the task ?
>
> You are aware it is no longer April the first? :-)

Sure, therefore i've awaited the april fools day passed.

kind regards and keep well
  Petric

Re: [gentoo-user] Idea for Videoconferencing (Video part)

[Rich Freeman]

On Fri, Apr 3, 2020 at 12:44 PM Petric Frank <pfrank@gmx.de> wrote:
>
> i think eye contact is a good thing while working on the screen.
>

I think most people think that eye contact is a good thing most of the
time.  If you have any tips for actually doing it I suspect half of us
on the list would benefit.  :)

I guess one thing I like about web conferencing is not using the
camera and then nobody thinks about the fact that I never look at
their faces...

-- 
Rich

[gentoo-user] Re: Idea for Videoconferencing (Video part)

[Grant Edwards]

On 2020-04-03, Petric Frank <pfrank@gmx.de> wrote:

> Idea: Use two cameras positioned left and right or top and bottom of the
> screen. Combine the two video streams and generate a third stream having a
> virtual camera positioned at the middle of the screen.

Can you explain how that "combine" would be done in real time?  It
sounds like some pretty sophisticated real-tiem 3D modelling and CGI to me...

--
Grant

Re: [gentoo-user] Idea for Videoconferencing (Video part)

[Ralph Seichter]

* Petric Frank:

> But normal people aren't professional actors. I thought i could be
> a technical solution. Making life easier in this corona-days with
> increasing video conferences.

Normal people just have to adapt to a worldwide pandemic and be damn
grateful for existing video conferencing software, much of it available
free of charge. In light of the real problems related to COVID-19 I
couldn't care less about fake eye contact if I actively tried.

However, business has been very slow lately. If you are willing to pay
me for months of work, and for the necessary hardware, I might work
something out. Oh, while you're at it, don't forget that you'll need to
sponsor multiple cameras for each user of the new software.

Sorry, I just cannot take this seriously. In fact, it annoys me to even
contemplate this prime example of a first world problem. If you want to
make life easier for some people and have a little money to spare, please
consider supporting local health workers. Thank you.

-Ralph

Re: [gentoo-user] Idea for Videoconferencing (Video part)

[Spackman, Chris]

On 2020/04/03 at 11:16am, Petric Frank wrote:

> Problem: Usually the camera is outside of the screen. The user
> normally looks at the screen. As result the communication partner(s)
> see him not looking at the camera.

> Idea: Use two cameras positioned left and right or top and bottom of
> the screen. Combine the two video streams and generate a third stream
> having a virtual camera positioned at the middle of the screen.

> Result: Better communication. The partners always looking in their
> eyes. At the same time the screen contents can be viewed.

I think this would be fun to try, but I don't have any idea the actual
feasibility.

Moreover, I believe Apple tried something similar, very briefly, with
Face Time. I think it just used processing to try to "fix" where the
eyes were looking. My understanding is that it creeped everyone out and
no one liked it. Probably an uncanny vallley thing. So, they dropped
it. (IIRC, I heard that on TWIT a while back.)

Maybe two cameras could do it better, though?

-- 
Chris Spackman                                      chris@osugisakae.com

ESL Coordinator 		            The Graham Family of Schools
ESL Instructor                          Columbus State Community College
Japan Exchange and Teaching Program           Wajima, Ishikawa 1995-1998
Linux user since 1998				      Linux User #137532

Re: [gentoo-user] Idea for Videoconferencing (Video part)

[james]

On 4/3/20 5:16 AM, Petric Frank wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> this is not exactly a gentoo issue. But due i am using gentoo i am asking
> here.
> 
> Problem: Usually the camera is outside of the screen. The user normally looks
> at the screen. As result the communication partner(s) see him not looking at
> the camera.
> 
> Idea: Use two cameras positioned left and right or top and bottom of the
> screen. Combine the two video streams and generate a third stream having a
> virtual camera positioned at the middle of the screen.
> 
> Result: Better communication. The partners always looking in their eyes. At
> the same time the screen contents can be viewed.
> 
> Is this description clear enough ?
> 
> Sounds that feasible ?
> 
> Anyone taking the task ?
> 
> Or is there a better place to post such an idea ?
> 
> kind regards
>    Petric

"stereoscopic" is but one technology where dual camera feeds are 
combined. Just mount one on top, center of the monitor.   Routine solution.

old background:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereo_camera

lucidcam   ~$17.00


https://www.e-consystems.com/3D-USB-stereo-camera.asp

https://www.stereolabs.com/zed/

https://www.stereolabs.com/

Other hacks through expensive solutions exist.


I'd think a single lens camera mounted on top, center of the monitor, 4K 
resolution, would solve your issues, better than (2) integrated lenses. 
ymmv.


hth,
James