Monocular 3-D visual tracking of a moving target by an eye-in-hand robotic system

The framework of controlled active vision is applied to the problem of monocular full 3-D robotic visual tracking (three translations and three rotations). Full 3-D tracking of a moving target by a monocular hand-eye system is demonstrated. A single camera is used. A simple adaptive scheme is proposed, and the relative distance of the target from the camera is assumed to be partially unknown. The number of parameters that must be estimated online is minimal, resulting in a feasible real-time implementation of the scheme. The strong coupling of the rotational and translational degrees of freedom is treated in a way that guarantees robust tracking of the object. The limitations of the approach are discussed, and the results from its application to the TROIKABOT system (a set of three PUMA 560's manipulators) are presented.>