Webcam Signature 1.0 - My Submission for the DC Programming Contest

Hey guys, I haven't been around for a while because I was busy coding a program for the DonationCoder Programming Contest. I thought I would share it with you guys because it is targetted at the laptop crowd:

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http://webcamsignature.wikidot.com

What Webcam Signature Does
Ever had a document on your computer that required your signature before sending it back to someone? Well, Webcam Signature allows you to write your name on your computer by using your webcam and a pen! No drawing tablets/cameras/scanners required.

Benefits of Using Webcam Signature
Natural: It is much more natural to write your name using a pen than a mouse.
Smooth: Your signature comes out smooth, unlike when you use MS Paint to draw something. It won't look like you visited Jittery Joe's!
Convenience: Allows you to write your name on your computer by just using your webcam and a pen! Capture signatures anywhere.
Reusable: Save your signature to an image for future use. Or, save the data points of your signature for future manipulation.
Simple: A very clean interface that is easy to use and takes no time to learn.
Versatile: In a pinch, you can use Webcam Signature to draw diagrams. Useful if you are taking classes and take notes with a laptop.

How to Use Webcam Signature
With the program opened, hold down either the CTRL or SHIFT key and then proceed to write your name in front of the webcam. Release the key you are holding down to stop writing. Press the CTRL or SHIFT key again to start writing again.
Copy your signature to the clipboard or save it to file to further manipulate it in a drawing program.
Save the data points of your signature so that you can retrieve it in the future to apply different colors and line sizes.

How Webcam Signature Works
Webcam Signature tracks the colors seen from your webcam to determine where your pen is. To obtain good results, the color of your pen should not be similar to the colors of your background. You can adjust what range of colors Webcam Signature tracks from within the program.

Compare for Yourself
On the left is a signature created using Webcam Signature and on the right is the same signature created using a mouse and MS Paint. Notice that the Webcam Signature output is much smoother and looks more natural whereas the one created in MS Paint is all jagged and looks like you have an unsteady hand. If you are signing documents for a client, it would not make a good impression to use the signature created in MS Paint. The difference is even more pronounced when you use thinner line sizes.

 

Nice idea, this could be incorporated into many other uses. I'm using this program, well, just opened it, do I have to set the fine tune thing to my skin color?

 

No. On the lower left of the window are two colored squares. They represent the lightest and darkest red/green/blue colors the program will track. I recommend you use a RED bic pen with a RED cap when first trying it out so that you don't have to change any settings.

 

Okay, i figured it out that far, but I don't have that red bic pen right now, i'll get it sooner or later though. I'm using a paper mate blue pen, the light tealish, I've gotten the bottom one the right color. I can get the top too since they'd be the same, but what I don't get is that does the program track a certain light spectrum, aka what color the pen is.

So, the program will track a certain light spec, right?

EDIT: wait, wait, lol, I got it. Mostly anyways, now I just need a more stable hand :/ +rep for sharing this neat thing.

 

Great Job,keep it up.

 

I've made Webcam Signature much easier to use with a new version (1.3). Now you can just click on the color of your pen in a picture to select the tracking color. No more second guessing!

http://webcamsignature.wikidot.com/download-webcam-signature