Face segmentation and facial feature tracking for videophone applications

In this paper, an efficient foreground/background video coding algorithm is proposed. The algorithm consists of three major parts: an automatic human face detection and facial feature extraction, facial feature tracking, and video coding method based on the properties of the facial feature. In the first part, the location of the human face and its respective facial features are extracted by means of a genetic algorithm and eigenface techniques. After the face region and the facial features have been detected in the first frame, a fast and robust method is proposed for tracking the detected facial features on the subsequent frames. Finally, the location of the facial features are passed to the encoding system for compression. As a result, both the subjective and the objective image quality of the face region are improved