In this paper, we report on the development of a 3D vision system consisting of a flat panel stereoscopic display and auto-converging stereo camera and an assessment of the system's use for robotic driving, manipulation, and surveillance operations. The 3D vision system was integrated onto a Talon Robot and Operator Control Unit (OCU) such that direct comparisons of the performance of a number of test subjects using 2D and 3D vision systems were possible. A number of representative scenarios were developed to determine which tasks benefited most from the added depth perception and to understand when the 3D vision system hindered understanding of the scene. Two tests were conducted at Fort Leonard Wood, MO with noncommissioned officers ranked Staff Sergeant and Sergeant First Class. The scenarios; the test planning, approach and protocols; the data analysis; and the resulting performance assessment of the 3D vision system are reported.

Date Published: 17 February 2009
PDF: 13 pages
Proc. SPIE 7237, Stereoscopic Displays and Applications XX, 723705 (17 February 2009); doi: 10.1117/12.807397

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7237:
Stereoscopic Displays and Applications XX
Andrew J. Woods; Nicolas S. Holliman; John O. Merritt, Editor(s)