Stereoscopic imaging: a real-time, in depth look

There is a general push for biometric-based solutions to replace keys, ID cards, passwords and PINs. Facial recognition, as one of the computational biometrics technologies, has received renewed attention and publicity lately, but for its inaccurate results. One major reason for the inaccuracy is the fact that, generally, facial recognition tools are rooted in 2D imaging methods which are limited to front-profile 2D photographs with a maximum divergence of 20 degrees. 3D facial imaging technology eliminates much of the nagging problems, but the benefits come with the added cost of processing time, especially in the case of stereoscopic imaging. The requirement of timely processing is particularly important in access control applications. The distributed algorithm we propose represents a novel step in solving the 3D imaging problem using power processing. The algorithm enables cameras, fitted with special boards, to generate 3D images in less time than with existing methods. The algorithm exploits the well-known properties/constraints from the stereovision field. Thus, it is very reliable. The obvious impact areas for this work are the capture, display and transmission of stereoscopic images. However, other areas, such as stereoscopic HDTV, can benefit from a faster technique.