Self-calibrating optical 3D pose measurement device for offshore sites

This paper describes a prototype system for the optical measurement of position and orientation of a specially developed target (i.e., full six degree-of-freedom measurement). The target is intended to be mounted on moveable structures, especially offshore sites influenced by the weather and sea. The system consists of the computational hardware (e.g., the camera) and software, which are required to function at at least 10 to 15 Hz. Further, a special target has been designed for the measurement, which allows for automatic calibration. The camera captures the motion of the target, and frame by frame the 3D pose of the target is reconstructed. The geometric aspects of the calibration and position and orientation measurement are also described. Finally, from test measurements, we assess the achievable measurement accuracy of the present system.