scholarly journals Depth Estimation for Light-Field Images Using Stereo Matching and Convolutional Neural Networks

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (21) ◽  
pp. 6188
Author(s):  
Ségolène Rogge ◽  
Ionut Schiopu ◽  
Adrian Munteanu
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Light Field ◽  
Stereo Matching ◽  
Estimation Method ◽  
Similarity Index ◽  
Depth Estimation ◽  
Residual Error ◽  
Disparity Estimation ◽  
Machine Learning Techniques ◽  
Disparity Map

The paper presents a novel depth-estimation method for light-field (LF) images based on innovative multi-stereo matching and machine-learning techniques. In the first stage, a novel block-based stereo matching algorithm is employed to compute the initial estimation. The proposed algorithm is specifically designed to operate on any pair of sub-aperture images (SAIs) in the LF image and to compute the pair’s corresponding disparity map. For the central SAI, a disparity fusion technique is proposed to compute the initial disparity map based on all available pairwise disparities. In the second stage, a novel pixel-wise deep-learning (DL)-based method for residual error prediction is employed to further refine the disparity estimation. A novel neural network architecture is proposed based on a new structure of layers. The proposed DL-based method is employed to predict the residual error of the initial estimation and to refine the final disparity map. The experimental results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed framework and reveal that the proposed method achieves an average improvement of 15.65% in root mean squared error (RMSE), 43.62% in mean absolute error (MAE), and 5.03% in structural similarity index (SSIM) over machine-learning-based state-of-the-art methods.

scholarly journals MDEAN: Multi-View Disparity Estimation with an Asymmetric Network

Electronics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 924 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhao Pei ◽  
Deqiang Wen ◽  
Yanning Zhang ◽  
Miao Ma ◽  
Min Guo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Deep Learning ◽  
Stereo Matching ◽  
Estimation Method ◽  
Disparity Estimation ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Disparity Map ◽  
Plane Sweep ◽  
Flat Surfaces ◽  
Outdoor Scenes ◽  
Traditional Image

In recent years, disparity estimation of a scene based on deep learning methods has been extensively studied and significant progress has been made. In contrast, a traditional image disparity estimation method requires considerable resources and consumes much time in processes such as stereo matching and 3D reconstruction. At present, most deep learning based disparity estimation methods focus on estimating disparity based on monocular images. Motivated by the results of traditional methods that multi-view methods are more accurate than monocular methods, especially for scenes that are textureless and have thin structures, in this paper, we present MDEAN, a new deep convolutional neural network to estimate disparity using multi-view images with an asymmetric encoder–decoder network structure. First, our method takes an arbitrary number of multi-view images as input. Next, we use these images to produce a set of plane-sweep cost volumes, which are combined to compute a high quality disparity map using an end-to-end asymmetric network. The results show that our method performs better than state-of-the-art methods, in particular, for outdoor scenes with the sky, flat surfaces and buildings.

scholarly journals Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of Light Field Based on Phase Similarity

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (22) ◽  
pp. 7734
Author(s):  
Wei Feng ◽  
Junhui Gao ◽  
Tong Qu ◽  
Shiqi Zhou ◽  
Daxing Zhao
Keyword(s):  
3D Reconstruction ◽  
Light Field ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Ground Truth ◽  
Depth Estimation ◽  
Estimation Algorithm ◽  
Morphological Processing ◽  
Disparity Estimation ◽  
Reconstruction Method ◽  
Disparity Map

Light field imaging plays an increasingly important role in the field of three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction because of its ability to quickly obtain four-dimensional information (angle and space) of the scene. In this paper, a 3D reconstruction method of light field based on phase similarity is proposed to increase the accuracy of depth estimation and the scope of applicability of epipolar plane image (EPI). The calibration method of the light field camera was used to obtain the relationship between disparity and depth, and the projector calibration was removed to make the experimental procedure more flexible. Then, the disparity estimation algorithm based on phase similarity was designed to effectively improve the reliability and accuracy of disparity calculation, in which the phase information was used instead of the structure tensor, and the morphological processing method was used to denoise and optimize the disparity map. Finally, 3D reconstruction of the light field was realized by combining disparity information with the calibrated relationship. The experimental results showed that the reconstruction standard deviation of the two objects was 0.3179 mm and 0.3865 mm compared with the ground truth of the measured objects, respectively. Compared with the traditional EPI method, our method can not only make EPI perform well in a single scene or blurred texture situations but also maintain good reconstruction accuracy.

scholarly journals Disparity estimation using Graph cuts for road applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 297 ◽  
pp. 01055
Author(s):  
Mohamed El Ansari ◽  
Ilyas El Jaafari ◽  
Lahcen Koutti
Keyword(s):  
Stereo Matching ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Similarity Criterion ◽  
Graph Cuts ◽  
Search Space ◽  
Disparity Estimation ◽  
Stereo Images ◽  
Disparity Map ◽  
Current Frame ◽  
Edge Points

This paper proposes a new edge based stereo matching approach for road applications. The new approach consists in matching the edge points extracted from the input stereo images using temporal constraints. At the current frame, we propose to estimate a disparity range for each image line based on the disparity map of its preceding one. The stereo images are divided into multiple parts according to the estimated disparity ranges. The optimal solution of each part is independently approximated via the state-of-the-art energy minimization approach Graph cuts. The disparity search space at each image part is very small compared to the global one, which improves the results and reduces the execution time. Furthermore, as a similarity criterion between corresponding edge points, we propose a new cost function based on the intensity, the gradient magnitude and gradient orientation. The proposed method has been tested on virtual stereo images, and it has been compared to a recently proposed method and the results are satisfactory.

scholarly journals Stereo Matching Algorithm Based on 2D Delaunay Triangulation

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Xue-he Zhang ◽  
Ge Li ◽  
Chang-le Li ◽  
He Zhang ◽  
Jie Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Delaunay Triangulation ◽  
Stereo Matching ◽  
Robot Vision ◽  
Depth Estimation ◽  
Planning System ◽  
Disparity Map ◽  
Matching Method ◽  
Running Speed ◽  
Edge Operator ◽  
Edge Points

To fulfill the applications on robot vision, the commonly used stereo matching method for depth estimation is supposed to be efficient in terms of running speed and disparity accuracy. Based on this requirement, Delaunay-based stereo matching method is proposed to achieve the aforementioned standards in this paper. First, a Canny edge operator is used to detect the edge points of an image as supporting points. Those points are then processed using a Delaunay triangulation algorithm to divide the whole image into a series of linked triangular facets. A proposed module composed of these facets performs a rude estimation of image disparity. According to the triangular property of shared vertices, the estimated disparity is then refined to generate the disparity map. The method is tested on Middlebury stereo pairs. The running time of the proposed method is about 1 s and the matching accuracy is 93%. Experimental results show that the proposed method improves both running speed and disparity accuracy, which forms a steady foundation and good application prospect for a robot’s path planning system with stereo camera devices.

scholarly journals Attention-Based View Selection Networks for Light-Field Disparity Estimation

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (07) ◽  
pp. 12095-12103
Author(s):  
Yu-Ju Tsai ◽  
Yu-Lun Liu ◽  
Ming Ouhyoung ◽  
Yung-Yu Chuang
Keyword(s):  
Light Field ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Depth Estimation ◽  
Disparity Estimation ◽  
View Selection ◽  
Deep Network ◽  
Depth Maps ◽  
Improve Accuracy ◽  
Light Field Image ◽  
Symmetric Property

This paper introduces a novel deep network for estimating depth maps from a light field image. For utilizing the views more effectively and reducing redundancy within views, we propose a view selection module that generates an attention map indicating the importance of each view and its potential for contributing to accurate depth estimation. By exploring the symmetric property of light field views, we enforce symmetry in the attention map and further improve accuracy. With the attention map, our architecture utilizes all views more effectively and efficiently. Experiments show that the proposed method achieves state-of-the-art performance in terms of accuracy and ranks the first on a popular benchmark for disparity estimation for light field images.

scholarly journals Efficient and Accurate Disparity Estimation from MLA-Based Plenoptic Cameras

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Palmieri
Keyword(s):  
Light Field ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Microlens Array ◽  
Depth Estimation ◽  
Calibration Method ◽  
Optimization Method ◽  
Disparity Estimation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Single Shot ◽  
Estimation Algorithms

Microlens-array based plenoptic cameras capture the light field in a single shot, enabling new potential applications but also introducing additional challenges. A plenoptic image consists of thousand of microlens images. Estimating the disparity for each microlens allows to render conventional images, changing the perspective and the focal settings, and to reconstruct the three-dimensional geometry of the scene. The work includes a blur-aware calibration method to model plenoptic cameras, an optimization method to accurately select the best microlenses combination for disparity estimation, an overview of the different types of plenoptic cameras, an analysis of the disparity estimation algorithms, and a robust depth estimation approach for light field microscopy. The research led to the creation of a full framework for plenoptic cameras, which contains the implementation of the algorithms discussed in the work and datasets of both real and synthetic images for comparison, benchmarking and future research.

The Interplay among Molecular Structures, Crystal Symmetries and Lattice Energy Landscapes Revealed by Unsupervised Machine Learning: A Closer Look at Pyrrole Azaphenacenes

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack Yang ◽  
Nathan Li ◽  
Sean Li
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Structure ◽  
Machine Learning ◽  
Crystal Engineering ◽  
Crystal Packing ◽  
Similarity Index ◽  
Lattice Energy ◽  
Molecular Structures ◽  
Machine Learning Techniques ◽  
Specific Reference ◽  
Energy Landscapes

The ability to perform large-scale crystal structure predictions (CSP) have significantly advanced the synthesis of functional molecular solids by designs. In our recent work [Chem. Mater., 30, 4361 (2018)], we demonstrated our latest developments in organic CSPs by screening a set of 28 pyrrole azaphenacene isomers which led to one new molecule with higher thermodynamic stability and carrier mobilities in its crystalline form, compared to the one reported experimentally. Hereby, using the lattice energy landscapes for pyrrole azaphenacenes as examples, we applied machine-learning techniques to statistically reveal in more details, on how molecular symmetry and Z' values translate to the crystal packing landscapes, which in terms affect the coverage of landscape through quasi-random crystal structure samplings. A recurring theme in crystal engineering is to identify the probabilities of targeting isostructures to a specific reference crystal upon chemical functionalisations. For this, we propose here a global similarity index in conjunction with the Energy-Density Isostructurality (EDI) map to analyse the lattice energy landscapes for halogen substituted pyrrole azaphenacenes. A continue effort in the field is to accelerate CSPs for sampling a much wider chemical space for high-throughput material screenings, we propose a potential solution to this challenge drawn upon this study. Our work will hopefully stimulate the crystal engineering community in adapting a more statistically-oriented approach in understanding crystal packing of organic molecules in the age of digitisation.

Structured Light Field Generated by Two Projectors for High-Speed Three Dimensional Measurement

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 523-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akihiro Obara ◽  
◽  
Xu Yang ◽  
Hiromasa Oku ◽  
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Light Field ◽  
Stereo Matching ◽  
Structured Light ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Depth Estimation ◽  
Image Features ◽  
Depth Information ◽  
Speed Tracking ◽  
Three Dimensional Measurement

[abstFig src='/00280004/10.jpg' width='300' text='Concept of SLF generated by two projectors' ] Triangulation is commonly used to restore 3D scenes, but its frame of less than 30 fps due to time-consuming stereo-matching is an obstacle for applications requiring that results be fed back in real time. The structured light field (SLF) our group proposed previously reduced the amount of calculation in 3D restoration, realizing high-speed measurement. Specifically, the SLF estimates depth information by projecting information on distance directly to a target. The SLF synthesized as reported, however, presents difficulty in extracting image features for depth estimation. In this paper, we propose synthesizing the SLF using two projectors with a certain layout. Our proposed SLF’s basic properties are based on an optical model. We evaluated the SLF’s performance using a prototype we developed and applied to the high-speed depth estimation of a target moving randomly at a speed of 1000 Hz. We demonstrate the target’s high-speed tracking based on high-speed depth information feedback.

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