Trailblazing: Video Playback Control by Direct Object Manipulation

Abstract

We describe a new interaction technique that allows users to control nonlinear video playback by directly manipulating objects seen in the video. This interaction technique is similar to video "scrubbing" where the user adjusts the playback time by moving the mouse along a slider. Our approach is superior to variable-scale scrubbing in that the user can concentrate on interesting objects and does not have to guess how long the objects will stay in view. Our method relies on a video tracking system that tracks objects in fixed cameras, maps them into 3D space, and handles hand-offs between cameras. In addition to dragging objects visible in video windows, users may also drag iconic object representations on a floor plan. In that case, the best video views are selected for the dragged objects.