Frontera v.2 (SOFTWARE / Open source alternatives)

The first version of the portrait used proprietary software. For Frontera V.2, all used software was replaced by open source software.

Motion tracking

Frontera’s motion tracking application uses Intel's OpenCV library to read out the two cameras which are mounted on the portrait's frame. The cameras are continuously detecting the position of “blobs” (usually hands) in the image, and, combining these two detections, generate an (x,y) pair which are sent out over OSC, the Open Sound Control protocol, for use in external applications. The program is configured using a GUI, which lets you control all aspects of the application, from detection thresholds to optional visualization.

Recording and playback

For Frontera v.2, the videobooth uses a camera from Elphel Inc. to record video. This camera is “open hardware”, meaning that all its specs are opened to the public. The camera is a linux machine by itself, connected (and powered) over ethernet to a host computer or directly to the network. The video booth uses a combination of standard open video tools, 'mencoder' for the re-encoding of the video and 'xjadeo' for the playback engine.
Furthermore, for storage of the motion tracking data in combination with the recorded footage, a sqlite database is used. All interaction between these programs is again handled by the OSC protocol.