Velocity and Structure Estimation of a Moving Object Using a Moving Monocular Camera

In this paper, we present the development of a vision-based estimator for simultaneous determination of velocity and structure of an object (i.e., the Euclidean position of its feature points) for the general case where both the object and the camera are moving relative to an inertial frame of reference. The velocity estimation itself requires no explicit kinematic model, while the adaptive structure estimator, synthesized utilizing Lyapunov design methods, is built upon kinematic relationships that rely on homography-based techniques. Sponsored in part by ARO Automotive Center, the Department of Commerce and the Department of Energy. The original document contains color images.