Implementation and evaluation of a wide-angle stereo vision system using the OMNIview motionless camera system
Keith B. Johnson, Mongi A. Abidi · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE · 1997
This paper presents an evaluation of a stereo vision system using a unique wide-angle imaging device. Because of the extremely wide field of view, the use of such optics is potentially useful to stereo applications where large scenes or close-up features are of interest. A general problem and deterrent for the use of wide-angle optics has been the large amount of distortion which makes processing of the warped image features and modeling of the lens difficult when using conventional camera models. However, this research attempts to use a unique digital orientation and viewing apparatus, OMNIview, to eliminate this problem. The OMNIview motionless camera orientation system provides a method for video pan, tilt, zoom, rotation, and distortion correction without moving parts. The incentive for using such a device within a stereo vision system is the wide field of measurement which can be achieved without physical scanning of the camera. This research shows that use of OMNIview for acquisition and correction of a stereo pair of wide-angle images results in limitations to the accuracy of the system.