今年(2014年)的美國消費性電子展(CES)裡，Intel發表了一個內嵌式(Embedded)3D攝影鏡頭，這是一款可以感應物體深度(Depth)，並可以將物體掃描成3D模型的攝影鏡頭。

這個名為RealSense的3D攝影鏡頭，是世界首款整合了3D深度感應器與全1080p彩色鏡頭模組的一種裝置，可以感測物體的深度。與先前Microsoft所推出的Kinect不同的是，RealSense的3D攝影鏡頭不僅可以用來感知手指的動作，實現高度精確的手勢識別，還可以用來進行臉部特徵辨識，從而理解人的動作和情感；同時它可以分辨前景與背景，並支援對互動式擴增實境（Interactive Augmented Reality）、3D掃描、…等。

我個人非常看好RealSense的一些應用，茲舉例說明：它與Skype搭配使用時，因為它可以感測使用者的深度，所以可以即時進行去背處理，只呈現打電話的人，而不呈現其身後的背景。通過這項功能，人們將擁有更多選擇——可以改變背景呈現方式；對於擴增實境（Augmented Reality）的應用，如果增加深度的辨識，則可以提升操作的精確度與趣味性，而且與3D顯示器搭配可以呈現3D立體效果；另外，它可以透過3D掃描而建立3D模型的功能，對苦於缺乏平價3D掃描器支援的3D Printer的應用而言，不啻為大利多。

-JG (www.i-art.com.tw)

Intel RealSense: Embedded 3D camera, software for notebooks, tablets

消息來源：http://liliputing.com/2014/01/intel-realsense-embedded-3d-camera-software-for-notebooks-tablets.html
日       期：2014/01/06

Intel wants to move computing beyond the mouse, keyboard, and touchscreen and into 3D. The company has developed a tiny 3D camera that’s designed for tablets, notebooks and other products, and companies including Lenovo, Dell, and Asus are starting to show devices featuring the camera.

It’s just the first sense of what Intel is calling its RealSense technology which are designed to move beyond thinking of computers as devices with 2D displays that you need special tools to interact with.

In a demo, the company showed how the RealSense camera can detect depth perception by differentiating between foreground and background objects in a camera app — but eventually it could also allow you to interact with a computer using 3D gestures while playing games or running other apps.

At its most basic level, the RealSense camera feels a bit like the motion controls offered by Leap Motion, with support for gesture recognition. For instance you can wave your hands and fingers in front of the camera to launch apps, pause a video, or perform other actions.

But Intel’s technology goes further with support for facial recognition and face tracking, among other things. For instance, the company showed a demo of a user changing the camera angles in Google Street View simply by looking in different directions.

Intel is also partnering with 3D printing company 3D Systems to allow 3D cameras and 3D printers to work together to help you create physical objects using images captured with a RealSense camera.

The company also showed off a demo of the RealSense camera working with Skype to identify a face and allow you to change the background without losing track of your face (although there are clearly some digital artifacts). It’s kind of like having a green screen… but without a green screen.

While the first RealSense product from Intel is the embedded camera, what the company is really pushing are next-gen ways to interact with computers.

During the company’s CES press conference, the company also showed off Dragon Naturally Speaking software which works a bit like Google Voice Search or Apple’s Siri, but for PCs by letting you use natural language voice commands such as “play an episode of Family Guy” or “Find me a pizza place” without touching your system.

Thinking bigger, Intel imagines that just as touch is starting to replace keyboard and mouse input on many devices, touchless controls could be the next evolution — and eventually instead of using wearable devices such as Google Glass or smartwatches, users will have surgically implanted devices to let them do things like start a car or unlock a door with a fingertip.

We’re not quite there yet… but it’s clear Intel isn’t just thinking a more than just a year or two ahead when it moves into what it calls perceptual computing.