Research

Tracking

When a rigid object moves in 3D space relative to a camera, it is often interesting to know how its relative pose changes in its full 6 degrees of freedom (DoF). The problem of 6-DoF tracking arises in the context of numerous applications within and beyond robotics.

Exploration

The research focuses on sensor-based approaches to robotic exploration of partly unknown environments. Aiming at facilitating automated work processes in flexible work cells, an efficient and reliable task-dependent exploration is performed.

Reconstruction

The ever increasing need for 3D models in robotics and Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality applications require a closer look at this widespread research field. The prerequisites range from fast, i.e. online, model generation, highly accurate models for collision detection and avoidance to photo-realistic models used in VR, i.e. telepresence and tele-operation scenarios. To gain the appropriate model for the desired application, a wide range of sensors and several data processing steps are necessary.

Recognition

The general problem of recognition from stereo processing, laser scanning, or ordinary image data provides basic environmental information for a robot to act autonomously. Results may be the identity and pose of known objects or object parts in possibly cluttered scenes, as well as grasp points or other generic affordances of objects from a known class.

Visual Odometry

The stereo ego-motion method works on successive images of the left camera of a synchronized and rectified stereo camera system. It is based on identifying image features that are likely to be found again in successive images. The well known Harris corner detector is used for this purpose.