Stereo Image Capture and Distance Estimation with an Slr Digital Camera

In this paper, we consider the use of multiple color filter apertures in an SLR digital camera to produce stereo images and to estimate the distance of objects within the field of view of the camera. Although such a configuration has been proposed for auto-focusing, multi-focusing, and distance estimation, here we develop the relationship between the amount of color-shifting that occurs with off-axis apertures with color filters, and derive a relationship that specifies the resolution of the distance estimates that are produced with this camera. We also discuss an approach that may be used for distance calibration, and consider the feasibility of using a two-color or a three-color filter aperture SLR camera in applications such as robot vision, human computer interfaces, intelligent visual surveillance, 3-d image acquisition, and intelligent driver assistance systems.