The Real-time Cartoonifier takes a video feed and using an FPGA, transforms and simplifies it, ultimately displaying the result. The prime benefit is the ability to see a cartooned version of something in effectively real-time. Contrasting a real-life image of yourself with a cartooned or otherwise digitally-altered version is fascinating: It reminds me of a funhouse mirror, but with infinitely more possibilities.

For the final project of a course on FPGAs it’s impressive, but we can also consider the augmented reality opportunities. Though out of the scope of their project (and likely to require more processing power than an FPGA can provide), a reasonable expansion would be interleaving the cartooned result with an actual cartoon adventure or cartoon-styled game. This addition would embrace the whimsy of the original project and give the viewer something to do after the novelty of looking at himself as a cartoon has worn off.

[ Cornell ECE 5760 Final Projects Covered by Make: ]
[ Real-time Cartoonifier Project Site ]