Extrinsic Calibration between a Camera and a 2D Laser Rangefinder using a Photogrammetric Control Field

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Computer Vision
• Sensor Fusion and Calibration

Background:

• Camera and 2D laser rangefinder (LRF) systems are vital for 3D scene reconstruction in robotics, mapping, and autonomous driving.
• Data misregistration due to imprecise sensor alignment hinders accurate 3D geometry and color texture acquisition.
• Robust extrinsic calibration is essential for reliable sensor fusion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a robust and accurate single-shot extrinsic calibration method for camera-LRF systems.
• To decouple sensor calibration by utilizing a common reference, a photogrammetric control field.
• To enhance the precision of 3D data acquisition in applications like robotics and autonomous driving.

Main Methods:

• A photogrammetric control field was employed as a common reference for sensor calibration.
• The laser rangefinder (LRF) was calibrated to the control field using a simplified perspective-three-point (P3P) algorithm with room corners.
• The camera's extrinsic parameters were determined using numerous control points within the field.
• Calibration was validated using both simulated and real-world datasets.

Main Results:

• The proposed method achieves accurate and precise extrinsic calibration between the camera and LRF in a single shot.
• The calibration demonstrated robustness against varying noise levels in sensor data.
• Experimental results confirmed the effectiveness of the decoupled calibration approach.

Conclusions:

• The photogrammetric control field facilitates accurate and robust single-shot extrinsic calibration for camera-LRF systems.
• The validated calibration parameters are suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications.
• This method significantly improves the reliability of 3D scene reconstruction in robotics and autonomous systems.