Title :
Miniaturized smart cameras for 3D-imaging in real-time [mobile robot applications]
Author :
Blanc, Nicolas ; Oggier, Thierry ; Gruener, Gabriel ; Weingarten, Jan ; Codourey, Alain ; Seitz, Peter
Author_Institution :
Photonics Div., Centre Suisse d´´Electronique et de Microtechnique, Zurich, Switzerland
Abstract :
While our world is three-dimensional, today´s cameras only allow for the acquisition of images that are two-dimensional. This paper presents a novel miniaturized 3D camera that delivers range images in video real-time. The camera is based on the time-of-flight (TOF) principle and under optimum conditions achieves a distance resolution of a few mm over a measurement range of several meters. The ability to capture the entire environment in three dimensions represents completely new possibilities, and many applications are expected to directly profit from this powerful imaging technology. In particular, in the field of mobile robotics, miniaturized 3D cameras enable the solution of navigation problems, such as obstacle avoidance, map building, localization, and path planning.
Keywords :
CCD image sensors; CMOS image sensors; collision avoidance; distance measurement; mobile robots; robot vision; time-of-arrival estimation; CMOS/CCD technology; TOF; area array image sensor; collision avoidance; distance resolution; map building; microrobotics; miniaturized smart cameras; mobile robotics; object localization; obstacle avoidance; path planning; phase maps; range sensor; real-time 3D-imaging; robot navigation; time-of-flight principle; video real-time range images; Amplitude modulation; Biomedical optical imaging; Image sensors; Mobile robots; Optical modulation; Optical sensors; Phase measurement; Phased arrays; Robot vision systems; Smart cameras;
Conference_Titel :
Sensors, 2004. Proceedings of IEEE
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-8692-2
DOI :
10.1109/ICSENS.2004.1426202
