Create Real-Time Facial Filters with App Inventor

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Understanding Facial Filters
3. How to Create a Facial Filter
4. Required Tools and Resources
5. Setting Up Your Computer for App Inventor
6. The Facemesh Filter Camera Web Page
7. The Starter Project
8. The Media
9. The Canvas and Image Components
10. The "Take Photo" and "Share Most Recent Image" Buttons
11. The PlaceImage Procedure
12. The Moving Procedure
13. The FaceUpdated Event Handler
14. Resizing the Images
15. Controversies Surrounding Facial Filters
16. Conclusion

Understanding Facial Filters

Facial filters have become increasingly popular in recent years, with apps like Instagram and Snapchat offering a wide range of filters that users can Apply to their faces in real-time. But have You ever wondered how these filters work? How do they follow your face and adjust to your movements? In this article, we will explore the world of facial filters and learn how to create our own using App Inventor.

How to Create a Facial Filter

Creating a facial filter may seem like a daunting task, but it's actually not too difficult. With a little bit of math and computing, you can create your own filter that follows your face in real-time. To get started, you will need to set up your computer for App Inventor and visit the Facemesh Filter Camera web page. From there, you can access the starter project and begin creating your filter.

Required Tools and Resources

To create a facial filter, you will need a few tools and resources. First and foremost, you will need a computer that is capable of running App Inventor. You will also need access to the Facemesh Filter Camera web page, which contains the starter project and tutorial. Additionally, you will need a set of png files for the various body parts of your filter, such as the ears and whiskers.

Setting Up Your Computer for App Inventor

Before you can begin creating your facial filter, you will need to set up your computer for App Inventor. This involves downloading and installing the necessary software, as well as configuring your computer to work with App Inventor. The Facemesh Filter Camera web page provides detailed instructions on how to do this, so be sure to follow them carefully.

The Facemesh Filter Camera Web Page

The Facemesh Filter Camera web page is where you will find the starter project and tutorial for creating your facial filter. The tutorial consists of 17 pages that guide you step-by-step through the process of creating your filter. You can toggle the tutorial on and off as needed, and the web page also provides a resource URL for additional help.

The Starter Project

The starter project is where you will begin creating your facial filter. It contains a canvas and a set of image components that you will use to create your filter. The project also includes a "Take Photo" button and a "Share Most Recent Image" button, which allow you to take and share photos of your filter.

The Media

The media folder contains a set of png files for the various body parts of your filter. These include files for the left and right ears, as well as the whiskers. You can choose from different characters, such as a cat or a lion, and select the appropriate body parts for your filter.

The Canvas and Image Components

The canvas and image components are where you will create your filter. You will assign the png files from the media folder to the image components, and then use the canvas to display the filter on your face. The canvas will also be used to capture the background image from the face extension.

The "Take Photo" and "Share Most Recent Image" Buttons

The "Take Photo" and "Share Most Recent Image" buttons allow you to take and share photos of your filter. When you press the "Take Photo" button, the text-to-speech component will announce that a photo has been taken. When you press the "Share Most Recent Image" button, the Sharing component will share the most recent photo with your friends.

The PlaceImage Procedure

The PlaceImage procedure is where you will paste the png files onto your face. This procedure takes an image and a facial point as inputs, and then uses a little bit of math to paste the image onto the appropriate point on your face. This is the most important procedure in the project, and it requires some computation, but it's not too difficult.

The Moving Procedure

The Moving procedure is where you will place the left ear, right ear, and whiskers onto the appropriate facial points. This procedure uses the PlaceImage procedure several times to paste the images onto your face. It also does some resizing to adjust the size of the images as you move closer or farther away from the camera.

The FaceUpdated Event Handler

The FaceUpdated event handler is where the magic happens. This event handler is called every time your face moves, and it updates the background image on the canvas and calls the Moving procedure to adjust the position and size of the images. This is what allows your filter to follow your face in real-time.

Resizing the Images

Resizing the images is an important part of creating a facial filter. As you move closer or farther away from the camera, the images must become larger or smaller to maintain the proper proportions. The resizing procedure has been written for you, but you can adjust the values as needed to achieve the desired effect.

Controversies Surrounding Facial Filters

Facial filters have become a controversial topic in recent years, with some people arguing that they promote unrealistic beauty standards and can have negative effects on self-esteem. It's important to be aware of these issues and to use facial filters responsibly.

Conclusion

Creating a facial filter is a fun and rewarding project that can teach you a lot about math, computing, and App Inventor. With the right tools and resources, you can create a filter that follows your face in real-time and allows you to share your creations with your friends. So why not give it a try and see what you can create?