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week 04feb 19, 2025 This week, I refined the BlazePose demo from the TensorFlow site. Since I wanted a clean codebase to build on, I went through each file and removed any code related to models other than BlazePose, as the original demo supports two additional models. I also deleted extra configuration packages, such as Babel, and updated Parcel along with other dependencies to streamline the setup. Additionally, I decided to write any new code in TypeScript to keep the project more organized and reliable.

With a minimal codebase in place, I began experimenting with turning the body segmentation mask into a blob. After exploring the TensorFlow libraries’ documentation, I was pleased to find a command that could extract the contour, or outline, of the segmentation. With the body’s outline in hand, I needed a way to manipulate and process it.

Naturally, I turned to OpenCV—a library I’ve worked with in Python but never in Node.js. Configuring OpenCV for Node proved to be confusing, and after days of unsuccessfully trying different installation methods, I decided to put that on hold and explore alternative algorithms and packages instead.
I ended up using the Moore-Neighbor algorithm to trace the contour and then applied a convex hull algorithm to it. I also looked into simplifying the contour using a different package called simplify-js. Although the contour tracing was somewhat inconsistent, I managed to create a demo where the body was transformed into an amorphous shape—success! 

By March 13, the graduate thesis demo day, I hope to replace the current polygon-shaped prototype with a fully amorphous and organic silhouette generated from the webcam feed. To achieve this, I'll likely need to configure OpenCV for Node.js at some point in the next four weeks. I plan to focus solely on the "blobification" aspect of the installation, leaving the networking and generative components for later since they will require more time and I am less familiar with them. Ideally, I aim to have the webcam feed "blobification" mostly completed within the next two weeks so that I can get a headstart on the networking side before the demo even rolls around. 



©Aditi Gupta
New York University
Integrated Design & Media (IDM) Graduate Thesis