VarioLight: Dynamic Projection Mapping for a Wide Range and Rotative/Deformative Performance

Summary

Projection mapping, which is augmented reality using projectors, is widely spreading towards stationary objects such as buildings, but various difficulties existed for dynamic objects. In our laboratory, we have been working on dynamic projection mapping (DPM) which can avoid time-geometric inconsistency due to delays in dynamic objects mainly by two kinds of approaches; the high-speed optical axis controller (Saccade Mirror) to track the object moving in a wide range (Lumipen/ Lumipen 2), and the high-speed projector (DynaFlash) for shape deformation (onto the face/ onto a paper or clothes). These approaches individually had issues such as constraints of projectable objects due to low-speed projectors and trade-offs between the range of motion of the object and the projection resolution due to fixed angle of view.

The new system VarioLight (Fig. 1) realized Dynamic Projection Mapping for a dynamic object that moves, rotates, and deforms over a wide range by integrating both approaches (Fig. 2). Due to compatibility between the wide range and the target deformability which could not be realized by the conventional methods, it can be applied to performance accompanied by dynamic movement such as dance on the stage and street performance (Fig. 3). Moreover, target dynamics can be visualized as the projected image (Fig. 4), which can be extended as sports application. Further diversification of expression as projection mapping is expected by this technology.

Fig.1 System configuration.	Fig.2 Fireworks projection onto a fan
Fig.3 Projection onto a fan while jumping.	Fig.4 Size-transformative projecion onto a rotating yo-yo.

Movie

Reference

1. Yuri Mikawa, Tomohiro Sueishi, Yoshihiro Watanabe, and Masatoshi Ishikawa: VarioLight: Hybrid Dynamic Projection Mapping Using High-speed Projector and Optical Axis Controller, ACM SIGGRAPH Asia 2018 (Tokyo, 2018.12.5-7)/Emerging Technologies, Article No. 17.
2. Yoshihiro Watanabe, Gaku Narita, Sho Tatsuno, Takeshi Yuasa, Kiwamu Sumino, Masatoshi Ishikawa: High-speed 8-bit Image Projector at 1,000 fps with 3 ms Delay, The International Display Workshops (IDW2015), (Shiga, Japan, 2015.12.11)/Proceedings, pp.1064-1065, 2015.
3. Kohei Okumura, Keiko Yokoyama, Hiromasa Oku, and Masatoshi Ishikawa: 1 ms Auto Pan-Tilt - video shooting technology for objects in motion based on Saccade Mirror with background subtraction, Advanced Robotics, Vol.29, Issue 7, pp.457-468 (2015)