Apparatus for sound, video-recording and reproduction

Tender description

The Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing (CVSSP), is a world-leader in video-based reconstruction of people. Over the past 15 years CVSSP Visual Media Research Group, led by Prof. Adrian Hilton, has pioneered the field of 4D vision using multiple camera networks to enable the accurate, non-contact measurement of dynamic non-rigid surface shape and motion from video. This technology has been extensively exploited by the UK creative industries (film, TV, games, fashion) through collaborative research enabling the creation of Digital Doubles of actor performance. Technology transfer has resulted in licensing, spin-out companies and a number of Innovation Awards including 2 EU ICT Innovation Awards and a technical OSCAR. CVSSP has also pioneered the use of 4D vision in medical applications to correct for breathing during MRI scans. To support 4D vision research CVSSP developed a unique film production quality multiple camera network studio infrastructure supported by JIF/SRIF in 2003/5, with subsequent investment to maintain a fully operational facility. This infrastructure has enabled; 15 000 000 GBP in collaborative research projects with the creative industries (EPSRC/TSB/EU/Royal Society) and provided benchmark datasets used by over 500 academic and industry research groups world-wide. The requested equipment is to refresh the multiple camera studio facilities with upgrades to UHD 4K acquisition, online processing of multiple stream video and portable use for both entertainment and healthcare applications. This will support CVSSP research in 4D vision over the coming decade and provide a UK facility for research in this area. Following award of EPSRC funding 500 000 GBP (ex VAT) has been made available for CVSSP to procure a portable camera network and associated portable storage and processing technology. This is to support the existing portfolio of creative industries research whilst also enabling future research to transform 4D visual reconstruction into a measurement technology for use in healthcare and welfare applications in unconstrained environments. CVSSP has long been at the forefront of research into 4D visual construction and has been a pioneer in multiple camera studio environments. The move to 4K and an increased trend of video over IP such as the BBC IP Studio mean that we now require an equipment refresh to face the new challenges of higher resolutions, higher frame rates, increased data rates and new working paradigms designed around reconfigurable software for processing video and audio data in the field.