Design of a Water Surface Robot Photographer with the Optimized Interface Photography Algorithm*
Cheng Hao Liang, Minen Lv, Xu Dai, Huihuan Qian · 2024
Robot photographers are becoming increasingly popular for capturing images from unique perspectives. However, there are still many technical challenges to be addressed for automatic simultaneous photography of the above and below-water parts of objects floating on the water surface. In this paper, we present a three-thruster surface robot photographer with an algorithm for processing floating objects’ photos on both sides of the water surface. We also propose a strategy for autonomous navigation and shooting while surrounding floating objects. We combine various computer image processing algorithms to solve various shooting subtasks, such as water surface position recognition, image stitching on both sides of the water surface, and local photo stitching of large boats or other floating objects. Additionally, we propose a sea-state-adaptive photography optimization algorithm to obtain qualified, stable, and clear photos of floating objects in wave environments. Our experimental results demonstrate that the proposed system can effectively capture high-quality images of floating objects from both above and below the water surface.