Method and system for detecting and tracking hands in an image

A system for detecting and tracking hands in an image, the system comprising:

• a first probability map calculating unit for calculating a first probability map comprising of probabilities that respective pixels in the image corresponds to skin based on colour information associated with the respective pixels;
• a second probability map calculating unit for calculating a second probability map comprising of probabilities that the respective pixels in the image corresponds to a part of a hand based on depth information associated with the respective pixels;
• a third probability map calculating unit for calculating a joint probability map by combining the first probability map and the second probability map;
• and
• a detecting unit for detecting and tracking hands in the image using an algorithm with a weight output as a detection threshold applied on the joint probability map.

A non-transitory data storage medium having stored thereon computer code means for instructing a computer system to execute a method for detecting hands in an image, the method comprising the steps of:

• calculating a first probability map comprising of probabilities that respective pixels in the image corresponds to skin based on colour information associated with the respective pixels;
• calculating a second probability map comprising of probabilities that the respective pixels in the image corresponds to a part of a hand based on depth information associated with the respective pixels;
• calculating a joint probability map by combining the first probability map and the second probability map;
• and
• detecting and tracking hands in the image using an algorithm with a weight output used as a detection threshold applied on the joint probability map.