Vergence control for a biologically inspired binocular active vision system

The human naturally possesses a robust and effective binocular vision system that utilizes saccade and vergence eye movements to explore the visual environment. This thesis studies how low-level visual functions such as vergence and saccade can provide a basis to build an active vision system that i...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Zhang, Xuejie
Other Authors: Tay Leng Phuan, Alex
Format: Theses and Dissertations
Language:English
Published: 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/50632
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Institution: Nanyang Technological University
Language: English
id sg-ntu-dr.10356-50632
record_format dspace
spelling sg-ntu-dr.10356-506322023-03-04T00:45:20Z Vergence control for a biologically inspired binocular active vision system Zhang, Xuejie Tay Leng Phuan, Alex School of Computer Engineering Emerging Research Lab DRNTU::Engineering::Computer science and engineering::Computing methodologies::Artificial intelligence DRNTU::Engineering::Computer science and engineering::Computing methodologies::Image processing and computer vision The human naturally possesses a robust and effective binocular vision system that utilizes saccade and vergence eye movements to explore the visual environment. This thesis studies how low-level visual functions such as vergence and saccade can provide a basis to build an active vision system that is able to robustly support scene exploration. Several available vision techniques were examined for suitability of application into human-like binocular active vision systems. A biologically inspired binocular active vision proof-of-concept platform was designed and built. This thesis focuses on the development of biologically inspired vergence control models. Vergence is the capability of human vision to gaze two eyes on a single spot in space. Through the study on the human vision system, several vergence control models were developed for the binocular vision platform. An initial vergence control model based on edge features in log polar space was first developed to achieve vergence in a simplified environment. Through further research and experimentation, investigations progressed onto a pyramidal vergence control model using disparity energy neurons. This second model utilizes fixed tuning disparity energy neurons and a pyramidal image structure to estimate disparity, resulting in near real time vergence control. Subsequently a pyramidal area correlation model was developed for simple vergence capabilities. As the search for a better solution prevailed, the model evolved into a disparity estimation model using a pyramidal fusion of log polar images. This final model superseded the previous models and exhibited robustness, providing a fundamental basis for developing real world applications for binocular foveation without object registration techniques or very accurate camera lens calibrations. Besides the developed vergence control models, the breadth of supporting technologies included the building of mechanisms that simulated saccadic eye movements through the use of image segmentation and visual attention approaches. Through the study and development of the biologically inspired components, the developed binocular vision system was able to select fixation points, reconstruct depth of the attended positions through vergence and build a simple fixation based spatial understanding of the environment. This thesis is presented with a balance of research rigour in the vergence domain and a broad-based understanding of human visual concepts dealing with viable computational solutions to saccade and vergence. DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (SCE) 2012-08-13T01:27:24Z 2012-08-13T01:27:24Z 2010 2010 Thesis Zhang, X. (2010). Vergence control for a biologically inspired binocular active vision system. Doctoral thesis, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. https://hdl.handle.net/10356/50632 10.32657/10356/50632 en 211 p. application/pdf
institution Nanyang Technological University
building NTU Library
continent Asia
country Singapore
Singapore
content_provider NTU Library
collection DR-NTU
language English
topic DRNTU::Engineering::Computer science and engineering::Computing methodologies::Artificial intelligence
DRNTU::Engineering::Computer science and engineering::Computing methodologies::Image processing and computer vision
spellingShingle DRNTU::Engineering::Computer science and engineering::Computing methodologies::Artificial intelligence
DRNTU::Engineering::Computer science and engineering::Computing methodologies::Image processing and computer vision
Zhang, Xuejie
Vergence control for a biologically inspired binocular active vision system
description The human naturally possesses a robust and effective binocular vision system that utilizes saccade and vergence eye movements to explore the visual environment. This thesis studies how low-level visual functions such as vergence and saccade can provide a basis to build an active vision system that is able to robustly support scene exploration. Several available vision techniques were examined for suitability of application into human-like binocular active vision systems. A biologically inspired binocular active vision proof-of-concept platform was designed and built. This thesis focuses on the development of biologically inspired vergence control models. Vergence is the capability of human vision to gaze two eyes on a single spot in space. Through the study on the human vision system, several vergence control models were developed for the binocular vision platform. An initial vergence control model based on edge features in log polar space was first developed to achieve vergence in a simplified environment. Through further research and experimentation, investigations progressed onto a pyramidal vergence control model using disparity energy neurons. This second model utilizes fixed tuning disparity energy neurons and a pyramidal image structure to estimate disparity, resulting in near real time vergence control. Subsequently a pyramidal area correlation model was developed for simple vergence capabilities. As the search for a better solution prevailed, the model evolved into a disparity estimation model using a pyramidal fusion of log polar images. This final model superseded the previous models and exhibited robustness, providing a fundamental basis for developing real world applications for binocular foveation without object registration techniques or very accurate camera lens calibrations. Besides the developed vergence control models, the breadth of supporting technologies included the building of mechanisms that simulated saccadic eye movements through the use of image segmentation and visual attention approaches. Through the study and development of the biologically inspired components, the developed binocular vision system was able to select fixation points, reconstruct depth of the attended positions through vergence and build a simple fixation based spatial understanding of the environment. This thesis is presented with a balance of research rigour in the vergence domain and a broad-based understanding of human visual concepts dealing with viable computational solutions to saccade and vergence.
author2 Tay Leng Phuan, Alex
author_facet Tay Leng Phuan, Alex
Zhang, Xuejie
format Theses and Dissertations
author Zhang, Xuejie
author_sort Zhang, Xuejie
title Vergence control for a biologically inspired binocular active vision system
title_short Vergence control for a biologically inspired binocular active vision system
title_full Vergence control for a biologically inspired binocular active vision system
title_fullStr Vergence control for a biologically inspired binocular active vision system
title_full_unstemmed Vergence control for a biologically inspired binocular active vision system
title_sort vergence control for a biologically inspired binocular active vision system
publishDate 2012
url https://hdl.handle.net/10356/50632
_version_ 1759854297742311424