A non-iterative calibration method for the extrinsic parameters of binocular stereo vision considering the line constraints

Abstract

The calibration accuracy of the binocular stereo vision system is important for precision measurement. The extrinsic parameters (structure parameters), which describe the relative position of the two cameras, need to be optimized before measurement. The optimization of extrinsic parameters is accomplished through iterations of minimizing an objective function. It is hard to decide the optimum objective function between various objective functions. The calibration accuracy is decreased when the objective function is incorrect, which can result in excessive optimization or fall into a local minimum (ambiguous solution), notably for planar targets. In this paper, we proposed a non-iterative calibration method for the extrinsic parameters of binocular stereo vision considering the line constraints of a planar target. Each line formed by every two calibration points can provide two independent constraints. Additional equations for solving the extrinsic parameters can be obtained using these constraints. We added these equations to the equations system established by the homography of the target plane and image plane. The extrinsic parameters of the binocular stereo vision system can be solved non-iteratively. Using the parameters calibrated by our method, greater improvements in the accuracy and stability of measurements occurred, compared to other existing methods. In the −45° to +45° measuring range, the maximum measurement error is no more than 0.037° and the average measurement error is no more than 0.022°. In the 0 to 28 mm measuring range, the maximum measurement error is no more than 0.039 mm and the average measurement error is no more than 0.012 mm. The maximum length measurement error is no more than 0.038 mm and the average length measurement error is no more than 0.011 mm while measuring a 240 × 180 mm2 target.