A free-viewpoint video system for visualization of sport scenes

This paper introduces a new approach to using multicamera images of an event to provide a free-viewpoint video visualization of sport scenes. This allows a virtual camera to be moved freely around, and to view the action from any angle. The system is based on 3-D reconstruction techniques previously developed for studio use. A number of different 3-D representations, including billboards, visual hulls, and view-dependent geometry are evaluated for the purpose. First results show the potential of the new approach for action replay and strategy analysis of sport scenes. Current limitations of the 3-D representations are discussed in the context of a practical use of the system.