Hardware & Technical FaceTrackNoIR: Racist or wot?

thetransfer · Jan 15, 2015

so i've just spent about 2 hours trying to get any tracking option in FaceTrackNoIR to track mine consistently with no luck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6neB7_Ns6A

i was following the above vid at first - it tracked my face for about 20 seconds at one point when i shifted a lamp, but that's about it - there's nothing in toobvids or written instructions that say "oh, but if you're black you might wanna white up for this" and there's no way i'm shifting my entire "cockpit" (yeah, that sheet camp's come on a bit) 180degrees to get sunlight on my face for this to work for 3 hours a day...and i've spent ages ing with cam controls for gamma sharpness, blah blah blah.

i almost bought an edtrack 4 christmass, but ultimately i dont wanna _have_ to have my face actually plugged in, it's a chore, specialy for someone like me who's time's not strictly thier own - i'm in an out my seat so often, i hardly ever play this title on headphones. Besides, the audio's too good, it has to be on the main system right?

anyways - closed behind me - no backlight - one lamp that in it's default spot provides more than enough light for me to make myself out clearly, overall pic about the same brightness as the dudes in above vid.. i've moved it around a few times but who want a light shining into thier face while they game? (not that it made any difference longterm)
So i'm assuming there's a trick to setting up the contrast ect manually for optimum recognition or a button or a slider somewhere marked "honest we're not racist, but most webcams are" or "actually it's just your glasses you idiot" (beyond the one reflections checkbox thing) or whatever and i've just not found it yet...

I'm gonna go cut some crash test dummy markings out of sticky backed landing chevrons for my actionman's old retrofit jet chopper... (sod you james may i did that experiment in '79), any sensible software based suggestions?

There is no budget...

JonnyC0mbat · Jan 15, 2015

Sun block in strategic locations? Turn down the contrast on the tracker (if that's possible)? Sit in a different position until it works. I'm about as pastey white as a white guy gets (if it was any worse I'd be transparent) and I still get the occasional problem with the Track IR. I think glasses can mess with the tracker too.

Flappers · Jan 15, 2015

I too have issues with facetracknoIR. Where it will randomly jump to different axis without moving.

Or I can look left and the guy in my cockpit is like NOPE! IM LOOKING UP TO THE TOP BECASUE... WHATEVER... THAT'S WHY

It's quite funny at first, but it get's tediously boring trying to get it to work.

I'm not black, so it might be just an issue with the webcam or the driver itself. But I kinda gave up after a while

Cat_Astrophe · Jan 15, 2015

FReetrack and a single LED.
http://www.free-track.net/english/

Asp Explorer · Jan 15, 2015

Maybe get one of those infrared LED security lamps - that might help illuminate for the sensor but not annoy you with light.

Depends on the webcam I suppose, but could be worth a try.

Tar Stone · Jan 15, 2015

Cat_Astrophe said:
FReetrack and a single LED.
http://www.free-track.net/english/

+1 to that. The facetrack noir is an exercise in frustration. EdTracker is my chosen weapon though, works in everything with no processor overhead.

thetransfer · Jan 15, 2015

yeah, i started with freetrack - just tried it again, that skull only moves when i throw the cam at the ashtray - methinks it's time to leave this one alone till next week. and what's with the total lack of an ED profile for any of this ware? they just expect us all to have a few hundred laying around to buy v5 of rippofftracker pro or something?

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Asp Explorer said:
Maybe get one of those infrared LED security lamps - that might help illuminate for the sensor but not annoy you with light.

Depends on the webcam I suppose, but could be worth a try.

dude - that's the kinda crap i can pull out a box in the shed - nice one bruvvaaah...

Non Grata · Jan 15, 2015

A few years ago Canon or similar had this issue with face recognition on their cameras. Media lapped it up.

karl_eller · Jan 15, 2015

Cameras are a little bit racist, I'm afraid. Your darker skin tone will likely confuse the face tracking as the software may struggle to find the contrast it needs to accurately track your movements.

You might try having a small desk lamp shining on to your face from off to the side a little, that might provide enough contrast for the FaceTrack to pick it up.