Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

International Workshop on Biologically Motivated Computer Vision

BMCV 2000: Biologically Motivated Computer Vision pp 98–107Cite as

Polarization-Based Orientation in a Natural Environment

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:

  • 735 Accesses

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1811))

Abstract

Many insects, birds and aquatic animals are sensitive to the polarization state of light and are able to use this information for orientation in their habitat. In this paper we imitate this ability and evaluate the possibility of a computer vision system using a standard CCD-camera to determine directions in outdoor scenes based on the polarization pattern of the sky. Even if the sky is covered with thick clouds, the incident light has a sufficient degree of polarization. A physics-based model is proposed to describe the state of polarization of the skylight, including the depolarizing effect of clouds and dust in the atmophere. Based on our polarization model we propose features for orientation that are invariant to weather and other environmental conditions. Experiments show that through polarization analysis we can get the same precision in determing a direction as by using a compass.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. M. Lehrer: Looking all around: Honeybees use different cues in different eye regions. Journal on Experimental Biology, Vol. 201, pp. 3275–3292.

    Google Scholar 

  2. R. Möller, D. Lambrinos, R. Pfeifer, T. Labhart, R. Wehner: Modeling Ant Navigation with an Autonomous Agent. In: From Animals to Animats (SAB98), Proc. 5th International Conference of the Society for Adaptive Behavior, pp. 185–194, MIT Press 1998

    Google Scholar 

  3. T. Labhard, B. Hodel, I. Valenzuela: The physiology of the cricket’s compound eye with particular reference to the anatomically specialized dorsal rim area. J. Comp. Physiol A, Vol. 155, p. 289–296, 1984

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. G. Horvath, B. Bernath, G. Molnar: Dragonflies find crude oil more attractive than water: multiple choice experiments on dragonfly polarotaxis. In: Naturwissenschaften, Vol. 85, pp. 292–297, 1998

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. G. Horvath, D. Varju: Underwater-Polarization Patterns of Skylight Perceived by Aquatic Animals through Snell’s Window on the flat Water Surface. In: Vision Research 35, pp. 1651–1666, 1995

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. H. Fountain, Navigation Satellites have a rival: the sea turtle. In: New York Times, March 12, 1996, B6

    Google Scholar 

  7. G. Horvath, I. Pomozi: How celestial polarization changes due to reflection from the deflector panels used in deflector loft and mirror experiments studying avian orientation. Journal of Theoretical Biology, Vol. 184, pp.291–300, 1997

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. C.K. Tri, A.J. Wasik, R.P. Hemenger, R. Garriott: Do wave plates improve the visibility of Haidinger’s brushes? In: The American Academy of Optometry, Annual Meeting, San Antonio 1997

    Google Scholar 

  9. D. Lambrinos, R. Möller, T. Labhart, R. Peifer, R. Wehner: A mobile robot employing insect strategies for navigation. To appear in: Robotics and Autonomous Systems, special issue on biometric robots, 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  10. D. Lambrinos, M. Maris, H. Kobayashi, T. Labhart, R. Peifer, R. Wehner: An autonomous agent navigating with a polarized light compass. Adaptive Behavior, Vol. 6, No. pp 131–161

    Google Scholar 

  11. L.B. Wolff: Polarization Methods in Computer Vision, PhD thesis, Columbia University 1990

    Google Scholar 

  12. L.B. Wolff, S.A. Shafer, G.E. Healey (Eds.): Physics-Based Vision, Principles and Practice. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Boston 1992

    Google Scholar 

  13. S.K. Nayar, XS. Fang, T. Boult: Removal of Specularities Using Color and Polarization, IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, pp. 583–590, New York, 1993

    Google Scholar 

  14. V. Müller: Elimination of Specular Surface-Reflectance Using Polarized and Unpolarized Light. In: B. Buxton, R. Cipolla (Eds.): Computer Vision-ECCV’96, Vol. II, pp. 625–635. Springer, Berlin 1996

    Google Scholar 

  15. V. Müller: Photometric Invariants Based on Polarization Analysis, In: M. Frydrych, J. Parkkinen, A. Visa (Ed.): SCIA’97, The 10th Scandinavian Conference on Image Analysis, Lappeenranta, Finland, pp. 855–860, Lappeenranta 1997

    Google Scholar 

  16. L.B. Wolff: Reflectance modeling for object recognition and detection in outdoor scenes, ARPA, pp. 799–804, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  17. C. Gerthsen, H.O. Kneser, H. Vogel: Physik. Springer. Berlin 1977

    Google Scholar 

  18. R. Schwind, G. Horvath: Reflection-Polarization Pattern at Water Surfaces and Correction of a Common Representation of the Polarization Pattern of the Sky. Naturwissenschaften 80 (2/1993), p. 80–81. Springer. 1993

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. J. L. Bahr: Polarization. Internet WWW page, at URL: <http://www.physics.otago.ac.nz/PHSI110/bahr/wo4/tsld014.htm>, last update: 24.09.98

  20. C. Schnörr: Untersuchung zur Farb-und Polarisationsinformation des Streulichtes bei der Partikelkontrolle in Ampullen. In: Procedings of Mustererkennung 1994, 16th symposium of the German society for pattern recognition and 18th workshop of the Austrian society for pattern recognition, pp.650–657, Wien 1994

    Google Scholar 

  21. C. F. Bohren (Ed.): Selected papers on scattering in the atmosphere, SPIE Optical Engineering Press, 1989

    Google Scholar 

  22. K. Able, J. Swinebroad, J. Waldvogel: Bird Navigation. Internet WWW page, at URL: <http://earthsky.worldofscience.com/1996/esmi961025.html>, last update: 25.10.96

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. bbcom GmbH&Co KG, Shanghai Office, Caobao Lu 509, Caohejing Tower 612, 200233, Shanghai, P.R. China

    Volker Müller

Authors
  1. Volker Müller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Artificial Vision Research, Korea University, Anam-dong, Seongbuk-ku, Seoul, 136-701, Korea

    Seong-Whan Lee

  2. Max-Planck-Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Spemannstr. 38, 72076, Tübingen, Germany

    Heinrich H. Bülthoff

  3. Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, E25-218, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 45 Carleton Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA

    Tomaso Poggio

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2000 Springer-Verlag Berlin-Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Müller, V. (2000). Polarization-Based Orientation in a Natural Environment. In: Lee, SW., Bülthoff, H.H., Poggio, T. (eds) Biologically Motivated Computer Vision. BMCV 2000. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1811. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-45482-9_10

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-45482-9_10

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-67560-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-45482-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation