Constant and shadowless light source

A method for capturing images of targets of interest for interaction with or in response to electronic events, such as may be generated by video games and/or other interactive applications, comprising:

• emitting light into an environment to illuminate a target of interest utilizing at least one parabolic light emitting diode that emits light in a substantially collimated beam, where the emitted light is in at least a first predetermined frequency range that defines a spectral range outside the range of visible fluctuating ambient light within the environment;
• receiving the emitted light by a camera having a light receiving lens and an image sensor for converting the light received through the light receiving lens to image data, wherein the image sensor is sensitive to light within the first predetermined frequency range;
• modulating at least one parabolic light emitting diode that is used to emit light into the environment, on for a predetermined time duration from t1 to t2=t1+δt, such that:
• t1=2d1/c,
• t2=2d2/c,
• wherein d1 is the predetermined closest distance of the target of interest to the camera, d2 is the predetermined furthest distance of the target of interest to the camera, δd=d2−d1 is the limited moving area of the target of interest and c=is the speed of the light;
• filtering the light received by the camera to substantially block light in the spectral range of fluctuating ambient light;
• converting the image data from the image sensor to a digital representation of the target of interest;
• and
• measuring an aspect of movement of the target of interest in a 3-D space;
• wherein at least one parabolic light emitting diode is positioned adjacent to the light receiving lens of the camera so as to substantially reduce detected shadows of the illuminated target of interest.