The Magic Table: Computer-Vision Based Augmentation of a Whiteboard for Creative Meetings

François Bérard.

In IEEE International Workshop on Projector-Camera Systems (PROCAM), 2003, Nice, France.

Abstract

This paper presents the “Magic Table”: an augmented whiteboard surface for supporting creative meetings. The Magic Table uses computer vision for scanning and spatially organizing texts and drawings on the surface. Digitization of the physical ink is done by a-posteriori capture of the strokes. The digital information is organized through the manipulation of tokens (small plastic disks). The interaction consist of fast and easy to learn gestures that support multiple simultaneous users and two-handed control. After motivating our approach with respect to the more common pen trajectory capture approach, we detail the interaction offered by the Magic Table and report on our initial observations of users interacting with the Table. Finally, we present the implementation of the two main components of the system: the color model based token tracker and the scanner based on mosaicking techniques.