Improved Image Segmentation using Photonic Mixer Devices

Aiming at improving image segmentation and extending regular computer vision algorithms an image sensor, acquiring additional depth information is deployed. The novel photonic mixer device (PMD) technology was summarized, by which it becomes possible to measure the observed object´s distance to the camera. Motivated by expanding and making existing image processing and segmentation algorithms more robust, the additional depth information is overlapped with the image map gained by a regular camera system. Due to the fact of the used cameras are displaced and have different image resolutions, a sophisticated calibration algorithm was introduced. By applying improved algorithms to applications, such as people counting, gesture recognition, and barrier detection its effectiveness was shown.