Abstract
Large flat-screen displays have become a common site in many stores, malls, and venues across the country as an advertising medium. In order to grab the attention of a passer-by these digital advertisements must rely on interesting content that engages a viewer. Starting with static rotating images, then progressing to animated clips, advertisers are continually innovating the way they present their products to catch the eye of potential customers on these platforms. By combining a webcam, a large flat-screen display, and an attached computer a kiosk can be created that will "see" the viewer standing before it. This project demonstrates how a combination of Computer Vision and 3D Graphics can be used to create a "virtual window" effect by tracking the viewer's head location and shifting the 3D perspective in real-time. Similar demonstrations can be found that only implement simple proof of concepts using this simulated 3D illusion, however this project aims to create software for a deployable advertising kiosk found in a retail store. Many hurdles needed to be overcome to integrate multiple open source and commercial libraries into a custom application that can display engaging content with respect to the viewer's perspective. Two effective demonstration scenes were created to show potential end use-cases for the VPK as an advertisement medium and digital movie-poster.