Seeing Through Multiple Sensors into Distant Scenes: The Essential Power of Viewpoint Control

Abstract

Sensors are being attached to almost every device and vehicle and integrated together to form sensor systems that extend human reach into distant environments. This means human stakeholders have the potential to see into previously inaccessible environments and to take new vantage points and perspectives. However, current designs of these human-sensor systems suffer from basic deficiencies such as an inability to keep pace with activities in the world, the keyhole problem, high re-orienting costs, and the multiple feeds problem. Principled approaches to the development of human-sensor systems are necessary to overcome these challenges. Principles for viewpoint control provide the key to overcome the limitations of current designs.