Specular Surface Recovery via Coded Target Stereopsis

A key challenge facing space-based computer vision systems is the presence of highly specular surfaces. Such surfaces present a challenge to conventional vision systems due to specular re ections, which may mask the true location of objects and lead to incorrect measurements. The problem is complicated by the fact that the use of high-powered illuminants, such as laser beams, can be problematic since the instruments inside space structures are often sensitive to various forms of radiation. This article presents a new approach to reconstructing the local surface structure of highly specular objects. The system utilizes a commercial trinocular stereo vision system and a coded low-power two-dimensional illuminant to recover surface structure. The local surface structure of an object is obtained by projecting light patterns onto the object's surface and inferring surface structure by examining the interaction of the illuminant and the surface. The system recovers both specular and di use surface regions. Experimental results demonstrate the e ectiveness of the approach.