Handel, a Free-Hands Gesture Recognition System

I describe here a real-time vision-based gesture recognition system used in interactive computer music performances. The performer moves his hands in a video-camera capture area, the camera sends the signal to a video digitizer card plugged into a computer, the computer processes the reconstructed figures of the performer's hands in movement and recognizes x-y positions, shape (posture) and angle of rotation of both the hands. Data extracted from the image analysis every frame is used for controlling real-time interactive computer music performances. Two approaches, one more formal the other really operative, are presented.