An Active Stereometric Triangulation Technique Using a Continuous Colour Pattern

We present a novel method for obtaining dense range maps, which is based on the combination of two (or more) colour cameras and the projection of a continuous colour pattern. The technique offers several advantages for use in robotics including the potential for very high speed of operation and for higher accuracy than achievable with other active triangulation techniques that employ discrete coloured light stripes or sequential binary-encoded monochrome patterns. The high speed makes the range image generation of fast moving objects in highly dynamic environments possible and thus enables a sensor based on this method to perform both coarse navigational tasks and the fine control of gripper Operations. In this approach a continuous colour pattern with uniform brightness is projected onto the objects in the scene.