VRML-based WWW interface to MPI video

Abstract

The Virtual Reality Modeling Language, VRML, is fast becoming a de facto standard for representation, interaction with, and exchange of three dimensional scenes. The purpose of this paper is threefold: First, we want to emphasize the role of multiple perspective video streams in automatic creation of dynamic three dimensional scenes and in automatic creation of hypermedia markups on objects in the scene. Second, we want to present VRML as a interaction metaphor for interactive television and video systems. The three-dimensional nature of the VRML representation allows a user the ability to view the real scene from virtually any one of an infinite number of viewpoints. The ability to markup arbitrary three dimensional objects allows the user to interact with the real world and query about parts of it. Thirdly, we want to drive the future VRML specification and development towards on-the-fly updating of three dimensional models, a mode that will be amenable to our approach: modeling the 3D world as a combination of a detailed static world, and the changes computed from per-frame integration of motion information from video data.