Video2Cartoon: A System for Converting Broadcast Soccer Video into 3D Cartoon Animation

A system for converting broadcast soccer video into 3D cartoon animation is proposed. The system can provide viewers with a new experience that can not be acquired from the original soccer video, by taking advantage of computer vision and computer graphics techniques. Firstly, computer vision techniques are employed to estimate the 3D positions of players and the ball. Then, players, the ball and the playfield are modeled by computer graphics techniques. Finally, 3D cartoon animation is generated based on the extracted 3D information and the pre-constructed player motion database. The system allows users to watch the game at arbitrary viewpoint using a virtual camera. On the other hand, content service providers can distribute the generated cartoon animation on their Web portals or to mobile devices, for consumers to better enjoy the game.