One-click auto-alignment (Advanced)

Fly Elise-ng Immersive Calibration PRO software offers advanced functions for single-click auto-alignment and edge-blending, leveraging one or more cameras for projector scanning. Beyond its core capabilities, the software also supports various external devices for automated screen detection and camera alignment.

Automated Alignment Workflow with External LEDs

This documentation outlines a workflow for aligning and realigning a multi-projector setup on a curved screen using a camera and externally attached LEDs on the projection surface. This method minimizes manual setup during initial alignment and eliminates the need for manual intervention during subsequent realignments. A single click can automatically align the camera and projectors within minutes. This capability enables frequent recalibration, ensuring perfect edge-blending even in environments where projector and camera positions are susceptible to vibrations and shifts.

Setup Overview

For this demonstration, we will use a projection setup consisting of three projectors on a double-curved screen with a single camera for auto-alignment.

Additionally, we will utilize one of Calibration PRO's "screen scanner" interfaces to drive an external hardware controller for LEDs.

Immersive Calibration PRO provides plugins for PoKeys devices, ModBus devices, and a generic, open interface for any external hardware that supports TCP/IP or HTTP/REST connections. In additional, Manual turn-on/turn-off is also available.

For this example, we will use an affordable PoKeys network device and a custom mesh of eight 12-volt white LEDs. Eight outputs of the PoKeys device will drive eight relays to individually control the LEDs. The eight LEDs will be strategically positioned on the edges of the projection screen as illustrated below:

Configuration Steps

Follow these steps to configure Immersive Calibration PRO for automated alignment:

1. Create a New Project

• Start Calibration PRO – Server and create a new project specifically for camera scanning.

2. Configure Projection Screen

• In the project settings, configure the projection screen. For this setup, we will define it with 4 columns and 2 rows.

3. Configure Camera View

• Set the camera view to "Mapped to reference points (full)". This setting enables automatic mapping of the screen within the camera's view using the LEDs positioned on the projection screen.

4. Configure Scanner Device

• Navigate to Menu > Scanners > ScannersManager.
• Select the PoKeys-based device from the list of available scanners.
• Configure the device's outputs 1 through 8 to control the connected LEDs.
• Set the number of outputs to 8. You can assign custom names to the outputs if needed; otherwise, leave them as default (e.g., OUT1, OUT2).
• Use the AllOn and AllOff buttons to verify proper device connection and functionality.

5. Define and Associate 3D Reference Points

• Open the Screen settings window and click the top-right icon labeled "Screen reference points". A new window will open for defining reference points and associating them with scanner LEDs.

• Press the "+" button to add points based on your screen's row/column definition. Select the top 3, middle 2, and bottom 3 reference points, corresponding to the physical positions of the LEDs on your screen.

• Select each reference point individually and click the bottom-left icon to associate it with a specific scanner LED. Repeat this process for all eight reference points.

6. Configure Camera View for Scanning

• Select the camera view and add all the defined reference points to be scanned in this view.

• Double-click on each point in the camera view and approximately position the point within the camera image where its corresponding LED is located on the physical screen. Precise positioning is not required; ensure the rectangle around the point encompasses the LED's area on the screen.

7. Configure Advanced Scanning Parameters

• Go to File > Advanced screen.
• Ensure the Reference points scanning method is set to "All", which means all LEDs will be turned on and off simultaneously during the scan.
• Optionally, adjust the size of the rectangle around the reference point to increase or decrease the "search area" for the scanner when looking for the LED during the scanning process.

Automated Scanning and Recalibration

Once the initial preparation is complete, the system is ready for automatic scanning of the projection screen and projectors.

• Press the "One click recalculate" button located in the top-right corner. This action will initiate the automatic scanning process for both the screen and the projectors.

• The PoKeys scanner will control the LEDs, turning them on and off, allowing the camera to map the projection screen before each projector is scanned sequentially.

• Upon completion of the scanning, the reference points will be accurately positioned on the LEDs, and the projectors will be perfectly aligned and edge-blended.

Should the projector or camera positions change, or if edge-blending becomes misaligned due to vibrations or other factors, a recalibration will be necessary.

Simply use the single-click "Recalculate" button to automatically rescan the projection screen and all projectors.

Within a few minutes, the software will calculate and, if configured, export the updated auto-alignment data, making the projection system ready for use again.