Accurate omnidirectional multi-camera embedded structure from motion

Trajectory estimation and 3D scene reconstruction from multiple cameras (also referred as Structure from Motion, SfM) will have a central role in the future of automotive industry. Typical appliance fields will be: autonomous navigation/guidance, collisions avoidance against static or moving objects (in particular pedestrians), parking assisted maneuvers and many more. The work exposed in this paper had mainly two different goals: (1) to describe the implementation of a real time embedded SfM modular pipeline featuring a dedicated optimized HW/SW system partitioning. It included also nonlinear optimizations such as local and global bundle adjustment at different stages of the pipeline; (2) to demonstrate quantitatively its performances on a synthetic test space specifically designed for its characterization. In order to make the system reliable and effective, providing the driver or the autonomous vehicle with a prompt response, the data rates and low latency of the 5G communication systems appear to make this choice the most promising communication solution.