New Software Allows Video Deletions on the Fly

ILMENAU, GERMANY: Researchers at the University of Ilmenau in central Germany have created software that deletes objects in video in real time. The team’s “diminished reality” technology removes items in a live, full-motion video stream.

“The diminished reality technology is done in two steps,” according to a press release from Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Broll. “First, the object to be removed in each camera image is detected.... The outlines of the detected object define the image area; the individual image pixels have to be replaced.”

Using image synthesis, the video quality is reduced and the identified object is removed. Then the blank space is filled with imagery derived from the surrounding area. Special algorithms ensure that the filled area is consistent with the rest of the image.

“The diminished reality system provides both tasks within a few milliseconds and can therefore be used not only for static images, but especially for live video streams,” Broll said.

See the YouTube video demonstration below: