Fourier tags: Smoothly degradable fiducial markers for use in human-robot interaction

In this paper we introduce the Fourier tag, a synthetic fiducial marker used to visually encode information and provide controllable positioning. The Fourier tag is a synthetic target akin to a bar-code that specifies multi-bit information which can be efficiently and robustly detected in an image. Moreover, the Fourier tag has the beneficial property that the bit string it encodes has variable length as a function of the distance between the camera and the target. This follows from the fact that the effective resolution decreases as an effect of perspective. This paper introduces the Fourier tag, describes its design, and illustrates its properties experimentally.