A new GPU and AI-powered software development kit (SDK) from Nvidia aims to disrupt the game-streaming hardware market, by letting users create greenscreens and AR affects without the need for common additional hardware.
As the videogames industry rapidly grows, so has the number of content creators on platforms like YouTube and the videogame streaming website Twitch TV, which Amazon bought for the equivalent to £779 million in 2014.
(NVIDIA estimates that over 750 million people across the world watch people stream their videogame experience.)
Hoping to capture some of this still burgeoning market, Nvidia’s release uses the power of the company’s GPUs to help users replace their background with gameplay when streaming; without the need to make use of special cameras that alter the image.
(Currently gamers use products such as Razer Stargazer and Logitech C922 webcameras. These cameras are mounted on top of a monitor and have virtual green screen software built in as standard.)
With the RTX Greenscreen function players can load any virtualised image or environment onto their video streams background, without the need to deploy a physical greenscreen. RTX Greenscreen uses Nvidia’s AI and machine learning technology to track and demarcate the outline of the user’s body, while the GPUs support the virtualised image behind them.
Nvidia is working with livestreaming application developer OBS to integrate its RTX Greenscreen technology into their applications.
Hugh Bailey, author at OBS commented in a release that: “NVIDIA has been at the top of my list when it comes to streaming and recording equipment. I’m continually impressed with what they’re doing and their technology is impressive with RTX features like RTX Greenscreen.”
RTX Broadcast Engine
Creators will also be able to augment the image of their own face using RTX AR, an augmentation tool that detects and tracks facial features like eyes and mouths. The user can map another image or texture style across their face that will be tracked by the AI so it doesn’t clip or skip to the background.
If the user wants to map a texture or style not just to their face, but to the whole stream they can do so with RTX Style Filters, which will change the whole aesthetic of the video to the chosen image or artwork.
Developers will be able to create immersive tools and effects using the RTX Broadcast Engine that will be distributed by video streaming applications such as Streamlabs.
Ali Moiz, CEO of Streamlabs commented in a release that: “The new RTX Broadcast Engine is an exciting advancement that will allow developers in our app store to create powerful new tools for streamers with NVIDIA RTX GPUs.”
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