Real-Time Computer Vision and Robotics Using Analog VLSI Circuits

Abstract

The long-term goal of our laboratory is the development of analog resistive network-based VLSI implementations of early and intermediate vision algorithms. We demonstrate an experimental circuit for smoothing and segmenting noisy and sparse depth data using the resistive fuse and a 1-D edge-detection circuit for computing zero-crossings using two resistive grids with different space-constants. To demonstrate the robustness of our algorithms and of the fabricated analog CMOS VLSI chips, we are mounting these circuits onto small mobile vehicles operating in a real-time, laboratory environment.