For an upcoming performance, we needed to be able to extract the body silhouette of a performer in front of a projection screen.

Due to the fact that the visual material projected on the screen is always changing we couldn't use classic silhouette extraction techniques with visible light.

So we have experimented with both near Infrared (IR) and Thermal camera, in order to get rid of the video projection on the screen.

Infrared

In the case of Infrared, we are in a passive case, we need IR lighting projectors in order to be able to see anything.

Using IR lighting

Using IR Shadow

nearIR camera for silhouette extraction

Thermal

thermal camera for silhouette extraction