Active depth estimation with gaze and vergence control using Gabor filters

We address an active way of depth estimation using the mechanical degrees of freedom of a stereo vision system. A depth map will be computed in an action-perception cycle by using the control of gaze and vergence of the active system iterately. We apply a phase-based approach to compute disparity maps on diier-ent resolutions. Due to the phase-based approach sub-pixel accuracy in disparity estimation is possible. The disparity value of the map center is used as an error signal for vergence control. First a gaze controller xates selected gaze points of the image. Then the vergence movement is commanded. The settling time for convergence on these xated points is 0.3-0.5 seconds. The closed-loop vergence control has a performance of 25 Hz. The depth is computed by triangulation locally after convergence. This strategy (gaze and vergence control) overcomes the problem of large disparities and phase wrap around and allows the computation of absolute depth in real-time.