University of Illinois active vision system

This paper describes an active vision system which employs two high-resolution cameras for image acquisition. The system is capable of automatically directing movements of the cameras so that camera positioning and image acquisition are tightly coupled with visual processing. The system was developed as a research tool and is largely based on off-the-shelf components. A central workstation controls imaging parameters, which include five degrees of freedom for camera positioning (tilt, pan, translation, and independent vergence) and six degrees of freedom for the control of two motorized lenses (focus, aperture, and zoom). This paper is primarily concerned with describing the hardware of the system, the imaging model, and the calibration method employed. A brief description of system software is also given.