Unleash Your Potential with AI Director

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. The Challenge of Working from Home
3. The Solution: Using AI to Control Cameras
4. Required Equipment
   • Cameras
   • Obs Studio
   • Blackmagic Design A10 Mini Pro
   • Google Coral USB Accelerator
   • Google Coral PostNet Model
5. Analyzing Multiple Camera Feeds
   • Using the Multi-View Feature
   • Sending Frames to the Machine Learning Engine
   • Detecting Key Body Joints
6. Determining the Active Camera
   • Analyzing the Machine Learning Inference Response
   • Using the Nose-Eyes-Ears Relationship
   • Switching Cameras in OBS
7. Programmatically Controlling Cameras in OBS
   • Installing OBS WebSocket Plugin
   • Configuring the WebSocket Server
   • Sending WebSocket Messages to Switch Scenes
8. Programmatically Controlling Cameras in Blackmagic ATEM Mini
   • Installing ATEM OSC Proxy
   • Forwarding OSC Messages to the ATEM Mini
   • Switching Active Cameras
9. Conclusion

Using AI to Control Cameras when Working from Home

With the rise of remote work, many of us find ourselves working from home and facing new challenges. One such challenge is managing multiple camera angles while presenting or conducting meetings. It can be difficult to control all the equipment at the same time and know which camera is the right one to look at. However, by harnessing the power of AI, we can automate the camera selection process and ensure that the viewer always sees the right camera angle.

To achieve this, we need to set up the necessary equipment. Firstly, we will require multiple cameras to capture different angles. Additionally, we will use OBS Studio, a free and open-source software, along with the Blackmagic Design A10 Mini Pro, a hardware unit that serves as a video switcher. To automate the camera selection, we will build a locally running AI solution.

The AI solution will analyze the feeds from all the cameras simultaneously. To do this, we will utilize the Google Coral USB Accelerator, which has an edge TPU for offloading heavy machine learning inference. We will use the pre-trained Google Coral PostNet model to estimate the pose captured by each camera. It's important to note that the PostNet model identifies key body joints, not the individuals in the picture.

To analyze all the camera feeds at once, we can take AdVantage of the multiview feature provided by OBS and the A10 Mini Pro. These features display all connected cameras side by side in little windows, allowing us to easily compare the feeds. By creating a client for the Coral TPU inference engine, loading the PostNet model to the accelerator, and processing the frames from each camera feed, we can detect the poses and extract the key points.

Once we have the pose information, we need to determine which camera the person is looking at. To achieve this, we can compare the position of the nose relative to the eyes and ears. A function will analyze the pose and identify the active camera Based on these relationships. By using this information, we can programmatically switch to the appropriate camera in OBS Studio.

To control camera switching programmatically in OBS, we can install the OBS WebSocket plugin. This plugin allows us to send WebSocket messages to OBS and switch between scenes programmatically. By creating a WebSocket client, connecting to the local host port, and requesting a list of scenes (which are equivalent to the cameras), we can determine if the active camera needs to be changed. If a switch is required, we can send a WebSocket call to OBS to switch to the desired scene.

Similarly, we can control camera switching in the Blackmagic ATEM Mini Pro by installing the open-source ATEM OSC Proxy. This proxy listens for OSC (Open Sound Control) messages and forwards them to the ATEM Mini using the Blackmagic SDK. By running our client app and specifying that we want to talk to ATEM, we can switch the active camera programmatically. The ATEM OSC Proxy will receive the OSC control messages and execute the corresponding actions on the ATEM Mini.

In conclusion, by using AI and the right equipment, we can automate the camera selection process and make it easier to manage multiple camera angles while working from home. Whether You're conducting presentations, online meetings, or live streaming, this AI-driven solution allows you to focus on delivering your content while the system takes care of switching between cameras seamlessly.

Pros:

• Automates camera selection process
• Improves the viewer experience by always showing the right camera angle
• Reduces the need for manual camera control
• Enhances the quality and professionalism of remote presentations and meetings

Cons:

• Requires multiple cameras and specialized hardware
• Requires knowledge of AI and machine learning inference
• Initial setup and configuration can be complex

Highlights

• Control multiple cameras seamlessly while working from home
• Use AI to automatically switch between camera angles
• Works with OBS Studio and Blackmagic ATEM Mini Pro
• Analyze camera feeds simultaneously using Google Coral USB Accelerator
• Detect poses and key body joints with the Google Coral PostNet model
• Programmatic control of cameras in OBS through the WebSocket plugin
• Programmatic control of cameras in Blackmagic ATEM Mini Pro using ATEM OSC Proxy
• Enhance the viewer experience and professionalism of remote presentations

FAQs

Q1: Can I use this AI solution with any camera? A1: Yes, you can use any camera as long as it is compatible with OBS Studio or Blackmagic ATEM Mini Pro.

Q2: Is the AI solution limited to a specific video conferencing platform? A2: No, the AI solution is independent of the video conferencing platform. It can be used with any platform that supports multiple camera inputs.

Q3: Can I use the AI solution with different AI models? A3: Yes, you can explore and experiment with different AI models for pose estimation. The Google Coral PostNet model is just one of many options available.

Q4: Do I need a powerful computer to run this AI solution? A4: The AI solution offloads heavy machine learning inference to the Google Coral USB Accelerator, which reduces the computational load on your computer. However, a reasonably capable computer is still required.

Q5: Can I customize the criteria for determining the active camera? A5: Yes, the function that analyzes the pose can be customized to consider different relationships between body joints. You can adapt it to your specific requirements.

Q6: Does the AI solution require any programming experience? A6: Yes, some programming experience is necessary to set up and configure the AI solution. However, detailed instructions and example code are provided to assist you.