Omnidirectional stereo systems for robot navigation

This paper discusses how stereo vision achieved through the use of omnidirectional sensors can help mobile robot navigation providing advantages, in terms of both versatility and performance, with respect to the classical stereo system based on two horizontally-displaced traditional cameras. The paper also describes an automatic calibration strategy for catadioptric omnidirectional sensors and results obtained using a stereo obstacle detection algorithm devised within a general framework in which, with some limitations, many existing algorithm designed for traditional cameras can be adapted for use with omnidirectional sensors.