A generic structure-from-motion framework

We introduce a generic structure-from-motion approach based on a previously introduced, highly general imaging model, where cameras are modeled as possibly unconstrained sets of projection rays. This allows to describe most existing camera types including pinhole cameras, sensors with radial or more general distortions, catadioptric cameras (central or non-central), etc. We introduce a structurefrom-motion approach for this general imaging model, that allows to reconstruct scenes from calibrated images, possibly taken by cameras of different types (cross-camera scenarios). Structure-from-motion is naturally handled via camera independent ray intersection problems, solved via linear or simple polynomial equations. We also propose two approaches for obtaining optimal solutions using bundle adjustment, where camera motion, calibration and 3D point coordinates are refined simultaneously. The proposed methods are evaluated via experiments on two cross-camera scenarios—a pinhole used together with an omni-directional camera and a stereo system used with an omni-directional camera. 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.