Compact image stabilization system using camera posture information

Abstract

Abstract A teleoperated robot that works in unstructured environments such as disaster sites is mainly controlled based on images obtained from cameras mounted on the robot. Because the robot runs on rough terrains, the images from the mounted camera are nonsteady ones. These nonsteady images will make it difficult for the operator to understand the surrounding information and will cause the camera motion sickness. We have developed an image stabilization system using camera posture information for a mobile robot that moves on uneven terrains. Because the camera posture information is detected by a three‐dimensional‐motion sensor separately from the camera image, this system works even in bad light condition environments and is robust for light condition changes. The wide‐field‐of‐view images obtained by the fish‐eye‐lens camera are used to handle a large‐amplitude disturbance. The sphere mapping and the image shifting of a region of © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.