3D Video: From Capture to Diffusion

Chapter 3

Multiview Acquisition Systems

3.1. Introduction: what is a multiview acquisition system?

Multiview acquisition, the focus of this chapter, relates to the capture of synchronized video data representing different viewpoints of a single scene. In contrast to video surveillance systems, which deploy multiple cameras to visually cover a large-scale environment to be monitored with little redundancy, the materials, devices or systems used in multiview acquisition are designed to cover several perspectives of a single, often fairly restricted, physical space and use redundancy in images for specific aims:

– for three-dimensional (3D) stereoscopic or multiscopic visualization of captured videos:

– for real scene reconstruction/virtualization:

- 2.5D reconstruction of a depth map from a given viewpoint;

- textured 3D reconstruction of digital models, avatars of real objects;

- motion capture (MoCap) for realistic animation of virtual actors;

– for various and complementary adjustments in control room or during postproduction:

- “mosaicking” views providing a panoramic view or a high-resolution image;

- a virtual camera moving at frozen time or very slowly (bullet time);

- mixing the real/virtual (augmented reality (AR));

- view interpolation (free viewpoint TV (FTV));

- focus post-modification (refocus);

- increasing video dynamics (high dynamic range (HDR)); etc.

Depending on the final application, the number, layout and settings of cameras can fluctuate greatly. The most ...