Although recording and streaming lecture videos is becoming popular, large-scale lecture recording is still a difficult task for many universities. Auto lecture recording systems with robotic tripod or smart sensors are too expensive to be standard equipment in many classrooms. A simple solution of human-operated recording is also resource intensive from the perspective of hiring, training, and managing operators. A possible solution for the problem is the combination of recording with a stationary high-definition camcorder and post-processing of camerawork generation that traces regions of interest. However, automatic recording systems in high-definition are still uncommon and expensive.
To solve the problem, I developed a cost-effective automated lecture recording system in high-definition. In the system, we use an AVCHD camcorder and microserver for automated recording. AVCHD camcorder makes high-definition video capture boards unnecessary since it records videos as files on its filesystem; capturing now becomes an easy task of copying files. With this idea, we can make the system small and cost effective. Lectures are automatically recorded according to the schedule specified by iCalendar data, and recorded videos are automatically processed with a camerawork engine we have developed to generate NTSC resolution videos.
Note that we need a little hack to automate capture process. We need to push the connection button to establish USB connection between AVCHD camcorder and PC. We developed a micro actuator to automate the action with a special metal fiber, called bio-metal fiber, used as artificial muscle.
Demo video:
-
1. Demonstoration of auto capture by micro actuator (H.264, HTTP Port 80 Streaming) rtsp://atlantis.cc.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/ActuatorDemo.mp4
For details, please see the attached presentation slides.
Reference:
-
Takayuki NAGAI, "Automated Lecture Recording System with AVCHD Camcorder and Microserver", Proceedings of the 37th International Conference on University and College Computing Services,pp.47-54, 2009.
