Showing papers by "Alberto Broggi published in 1996"

Real-time lane and obstacle detection on the GOLD system

Abstract: This paper describes the GOLD (generic obstacle and lane detection) system, a stereo vision-based hardware and software architecture developed to increment road safety of moving vehicles: it allows detection of both generic obstacles (without constraints on symmetry or shape) and the lane position in a structured environment (with painted lane markings). It has been implemented on the PAPRICA system and works at a rate of 10 Hz.

A stereo vision system for real-time automotive obstacle detection

Abstract: This work presents a system for obstacle detection in a pair of images acquired by a stereo vision device installed on a moving vehicle. The whole system is structured in a pipeline of two different computational engines: a massively parallel architecture, PAPRICA, devoted to low-level image processing and a traditional serial architecture running medium-level tasks. A geometrical transformation, based on the assumption of a flat road in front of the vehicle, is performed to remove the perspective effect from both images. The difference between the results is used for the detection of free-space in front of the vehicle, thus allowing to avoid the high computational tasks involved in traditional stereo vision approaches; the geometrical transformation is performed by a specific hardware device integrated in PAPRICA architecture. The system was tested on the MOB-LAB experimental land vehicle, which was driven for more than 3000 km along extra-urban roads and freeways at speeds up to 80 km/h, and demonstrated its robustness with respect to shadows and changing illumination conditions, different road textures, and vehicle movement.

Special Purpose Architectures for Real-Time Imaging

Abstract: Architectures can be customized at different levels. At the first level is a design of a special-purpose system by the employment of available blocks, such as Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), programmable devices, multiple port memories, which are integrated into an innovative architectural solution. A more complex level is the customization of the architecture down to the IC level, which in general offers higher performances and lower power consumption and size. The investments for a special purpose solution are high since specialized know-how and equipment are required. In particular this is true for architectures based on custom-integrated circuits for which prototyping costs and times are critical points. Also, the cost of the final product may be high when the production figures are low.

The evolution of a massively parallel vision system for real-time automotive image processing

Abstract: This paper presents the first prototype of the PAPRICA massively parallel system which is integrated in the MOB-LAB experimental land vehicle for real-time vision-based road marking detection. Its main bottlenecks are highlighted and its evolution toward a linear array is discussed. This system has been enhanced with a simple but powerful interprocessor communication network for the exchange of information among processors not directly connected, which allows an extremely efficient implementation of the road marking detection algorithm as well as other morphological applications.

Toward the Optimal Decomposition of Arbitrarily Shaped Structuring Elements by Means of a Genetic Approach

Abstract: The decomposition of a binary morphological structuring element is a well-known problem that has often been addresses in the literature. This work present a new approach based on an Evolution Program: using an iterative stochastic technique, it allows to determine the optimal decomposition of an arbitrarily shaped binary morphological structuring element into the shortest chain of elementary factors chosen from a given set.

Real-time obstacle detection using stereo vision

Abstract: This work presents a low-cost stereo vision system aimed to the real-time detection of generic obstacles (without constraints on symmetry or shape) on the path of a mobile road vehicle. Thanks to a geometrical transform the perspective effect is removed from both left and right stereo images. The difference between the results is used for the detection of free-space in front of the vehicle. The output of the processing is displayed on both an on-board monitor and a control-panel to give a visual feedback to the driver. The system was tested on MOB-LAB experimental land vehicle, which was driven for more than 3000 km along extra-urban roads and freeways at speeds up to 80 km/h, and demonstrated its robustness with respect to shadows and changing illumination conditions, different road textures, and vehicle movement.

The Abingdon Cross Benchmark on the two PAPRICA systems

Abstract: Presents the results of the Abingdon Cross Benchmark on the two PAPRICA systems, which are briefly described, focussing especially on their different architectural solutions. Starting from some considerations on their computational paradigm and hardware characteristics, the most efficient algorithm for the Abingdon Cross Benchmark is discussed. The algorithm has been implemented on the two systems taking advantage of specific ad-hoc optimizations; the final quality factor is derived for both architectures and compared against that of other, different, non-commercial systems developed worldwide.