Method and system for facial masking of imaged subjects performing physical activities

A system for applying facial image masking of subjects performing physical activities, the system comprising

• at least one image sensor configured to capture an image frame of the subject;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the at least one image sensor, the at least one processor configured for:
• analyzing the image frame of the subject to identify one or more target joints and their locations;
• generating joint axis lines that intersect locations of joints of the same type;
• determining joint axial separation distances for the joint axis lines;
• determining size dimensions for a facial mask by:
• determining a degree of change for an axial distance metric between the image frame and a previous image frame, wherein the axial distance metric is associated with the joint axial separation distances;
• and
• adjusting the size dimensions of the facial mask applied in the previous image frame in proportion to the degree of change, to generate updated size dimensions for the facial mask;
• generating a masked image frame by applying the facial mask, with the updated size dimensions, to a head image region of the subject in the image frame;
• and
• outputting the masked image frame.