Robust stereo tracking for space applications

This paper proposes a real-time, robust and efficient 3D model-based tracking algorithm for visual servoing. A virtual visual servoing approach is used for 3D tracking. This method is similar to more classical non-linear pose computation techniques. Robustness is obtained by integrating an M- estimator into the virtual visual control law via an iteratively re- weighted least squares implementation. The presented approach is also extended to the use of multiple cameras. Results show the method to be robust to occlusion, changes in illumination and miss-tracking.