Distance estimation using two different-aperture images obtained by tilted lens optics camera

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a distance estimation method using tilted lens optics. Our proposed method uses two input images: one is an all-in-focus image, and the other is a ground-in-focus image. The method estimates a distance value for each pixel by comparing the amount of blur between the ground-in-focus image and multi-focus images that are synthesized by applying a Gaussian filter to the all-in-focus image. As our method needs only two input images and simple calculations, it is suitable for distance estimation applications that require a wide detection range and real-time processing, such as robotics and automotive tasks.