User-perspective augmented reality magic lens from gradients

In this paper we present a new approach to creating a geometrically-correct user-perspective magic lens and a prototype device implementing the approach. Our prototype uses just standard color cameras, with no active depth sensing. We achieve this by pairing a recent gradient domain image-based rendering method with a novel semi-dense stereo matching algorithm inspired by PatchMatch. Our stereo algorithm is simple but fast and accurate within its search area. The resulting system is a real-time magic lens that displays the correct user perspective with a high-quality rendering, despite the lack of a dense disparity map.