The development of 3-D (stereoscopic) imaging systems for security applications

Stereoscopic or 3D imaging systems have been investigated by many research groups for a considerable number of years. Experimentation has shown that the use of such vision systems enables quite sophisticated manipulative tasks to be carried out remotely. Recent developments in materials science, electronics and video camera capabilities now make 3-D television systems for teleoperator applications a much more viable proposition than in the past. This paper describes the development of a range of 3-D systems which have been used for remote controlled vehicle and manipulator guidance in hazardous environments. Two particular scenarios are in dealing with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and also in a nuclear industry application. The paper mentions the development of novel stereoscopic sensors based on line-scan cameras. One application of such packages may well be in wide area surveillance.