Special Issue Imaging Processing-Algorithm and System. A Human Image Extraction Method Using Background Reference and Binocular Parallax.

In this paper, an efficient human image extraction method using a background reference image and binocular parallax are described. The objective is to extract a human image from general scenes which have no special backgrund. Images are acquired from a stereoscopic video camera system. A background reference image which does not include human image is acquired and stored in advance. Difference regions between input image and a stored backgrund refrence image are first detected. The human image region is then identified using binocular parallax. In the region detection process, those two images are compared pixel by pixel using intensity variance around the pixel and values of color compnents. This precise comparison and region detection make it easier to match the regions between left and right image.