Optical Hough transform for the detection of straight line features

Abstract

The straight-line components of a scene have been discussed as a suitable robust feature for scene analysis in robotics and for the location of structures in outdoor scenes. The Hough transform1,2 is an efficient way to search for straight lines, and this transform has been implemented using a digital computer. However, because of the complexity the digital transform cannot be realized in real time. The optical approach presented here makes real time applications practical.3