Aligning the Camera and Tripod for HumanID Data Collection

For videos filmed at GR4.205 (Perception Lab)

The Tripod:

  1. Open the tripod and align the footing to the markers on the floor. Make sure the tripod is set at 43 3/4 inches-high, with the tripod head at its lowest position (measure from floor to the top of the tripod head).
  2. Use the level to adjust the tripod head to level position. Attach the camera to the tripod.
  3. Make sure that all adjustment knobs on the tripod are tight, leaving only the vertical adjustment somewhat loose.

The Camera:

  1. Hang the weighted, yellow strings (3) from the top of the backdrop and allow them to become still. Using the viewfinder on the camera, align the center string with the vertical line on the viewfinder template.
  2. Using the other two strings on the backdrop, adjust the camera’s zoom until the strings are aligned with the two notches on the viewfinder template. This will provide a constant zoom level for the session. From here on, the only variable should be adjustments to the camera height.

The Participant:

  1. Use the vertical crank on the tripod to align the horizontal line on the viewfinder template with the corners of the participant’s eyes. Ask the participant to move left or right to align the vertical line on the template with their nose-line.
  2. Be sure to remove the strings before filming.
  3. Adjust the camera to this standard as needed during the collection.


For videos filmed at Ida Green Center

The Tripod: (gait and conversation videos)

  1. Open the tripod and align the footing to the markers on the floor. Make sure the tripod is set at 49 1/2 inches-high, measuring from the floor to the top of the tripod head. This will be a fixed height for all three videos filmed here.

The Camera: (gait and conversation videos)

  1. Adjust the camera angle and zoom degree to align the markers on the viewfinder with their corresponding objects in the filming environment. For the gait video, use the black markers on the viewfinder. For the conversation video, use the red markers.

The Participant:

Gait videos

  1. Align the subject in the center of the viewfinder by centering the black position indicator on the viewfinder template over the participant.

Conversation video

1. Align the participant and "the dummy" along the red axis line on the viewfinder template. Position them to match the specific indicator points on the axis line.