Analysis and synthesis of 3-D face image sequence based on model-based image coding scheme with an Internet browser

In this paper, an efficient analysis method for global head motion, and a synthesis method of 3-D face scenes using model-based image coding techniques on the Internet browser are presented. By applying the techniques of model-based image coding in facial image sequence, human face or anthropomorphic agents can be synthesized with real facial motion on the internet browser using VRML and/or JAVA. While typical model-based image coding produces synthetic face scenes in 2-D space at the receiver terminals, the proposed scheme can produce synthetic face scenes in 3-D space interactively supporting some visual standard. This enables users to synthesize 3-D face scenes at any terminals. In this sense, it improves the portability of synthesis in model-based image coding. To speed up the computation in the analysis process, a new method that generates referential frame dynamically is proposed. To produce a 3-D face model which is suitable for the purpose of application, an idea of automatic face modeling using different 3-D face models is presented. Experimental results show the usefulness of applying the techniques of model-based image coding to the analysis of facial motion and synthesis of 3-D face scene on the internet browser.