Enabling multi-purpose mobile manipulators: Localization of glossy objects using a light-field camera

Capable mobile manipulators require sophisticated sensing and environment perception. An important task is the precise localization of objects to be handled. In order to be able to deal with a wide variety of applications, sensor systems need to be able to work with glossy, shiny or transparent objects. Here we present an approach to that problem based on analyzing specular reflections using a custom build, head mounted light-field camera. We derive a suitable algorithm including highlight feature detection as well as highlight depth estimation and will present exemplary results.