Programming Cameras and Pan-Tilts : With DirectX and Java

The rapid rise of PC-based cameras has lead to the enormous growth of software applications that use real-time video programming. These applications include video conferencing, computer games, scientific research, automated security and surveillance, industrial inspection, and Web cameras. Previously, developers had to search through manufacturer manuals or research papers in computer vision or image processing to learn how to program devices for these applications. Programming Cameras and Pan-Tilts with DirectX and Java is the first book to offer practical tools and techniques for those struggling to gain an in-depth understanding of programming computer vision applications with live camera streams and pan-tilt devices. It shows how to build DirectShow filters from scratch and introduces computer vision concepts as needed to understand the code. Special emphasis is devoted to DirectShow programming and popular computer vision applications such as segmentation and tracking. *Shows step-by-step how to program cameras for a variety of applications in both Visual C++ .NET and the Java Media Framework (JMF). *Describes programming methods proven in industrial and research settings that can be used with any camera that connects to a PC through a DirectShow-compliant frame grabber. *Provides easy-to-understand explanations of the underlying concepts of the code examples suitable for those studying computer vision, image processing, or multimedia. *Includes a CD-ROM with all the source code from the book and a companion Web site with additional code and application examples.