Fast hand recognition method using limited area of IR projection pattern

We have been developing a rapid proto-typing display system which can verify an appearance of final product in finishing and painting industry. In this system, it is necessary to measure detail information of hand position and shape to recognize the worker's instruction. Therefore, we apply a rapid hand measurement which combine a roughly detecting of hand position and shape by spatial encoding method with IR projection. For detecting of hand position, non-linearity interval strips are used for detecting objects that are lower than constant height. The interval of strips is devised in relation to an angle of camera axis to make equal the height in detecting. For detecting of hand shape, the temporal and spatial encoding pattern is projected only an area of hand position. This measurement is enough rough because our prototyping display system need only to classify the shape of tracing, touching, pushing, and picking. Therefore, the limited process with limited area is possible to reconstruct the shape of hand very fast. A practical result shows that the position and shape recognition is performed about one second; and operator comment that such the time delay doesn't become a stress as for actual hand operation.