The objective of this SBIR Phase II project is to design and build a dynamic camera control system and processing hardware to exercise high performance real time vision algorithms. High performance is based on reformulating algorithms in log-polar image plane coordinates, which significantly reduces pixel count and computations per pixel. Capabilities of this system will include depth perception based on binocular stereo and optic flow in dynamic environments. This system can be duplicated as a testbed for vision researchers. The binocular camera motion head will be available as a self-contained module which can be attached to any processing architecture. Phase I has demonstrated a complete spectrum of image processing algorithms formulated in log-polar coordinates, proving the feasibility and efficiency of such a system. Orders-of magnitude reduction in computational requirements suggest dramatic benefits for robot vision in general and mobile robots in particular. The proposed technology could improve the cost/performance ration for robot vision systems by several order of magnitude. This opens commercial niches unattainable by conventional Cartesian coordinate based computer vision. Markets include autonomous floor cleaners, transporters, security robots, and service robots.
