Virtual camera calibration using optical design software.

Camera calibration is a critical step in many vision applications. It is a delicate and complex process that is highly sensitive to environmental conditions. This paper presents a novel virtual calibration technique that can be used to study the impact of various factors on the calibration parameters. To highlight the possibilities of the method, the calibration parameters' behavior has been studied regarding the effects of tolerancing and temperature for a specific lens. This technique could also be used in many other promising areas to make calibration in the laboratory or in the field easier.