An Active Vision System for Task-Specific Information Processing

Abstract

We present the fusion of an active stereo camera system together with a mobile robot having the capability of orientating and navigating. This performance is achieved by realizing a task-specific hierarchy of visual, biologically motivated information processing modules. The claimed behavioural complexity depends on a task-specific combination of simple but versatile units and additionally from an active vision concept. This concept is able to solve basic vision problems in a much more efficient way than a passive one [5]. We describe the basic ideas how such a hierarchy of capabilities can be achieved. In a second step the structure of the utilized mechanical system and the underlying software concept are presented. Finally, an obstacle detection scheme is presented as a basic module in the field of low-level tasks. It deals as an example of actually developed “evolvable” modules combining biological principles in order to realize a basic task in visually guided behaviour.

This project is supported by the German Fed. Dep. of Research and Technology (BMFT), Grant No. ITR8800K4