This technology is an algorithm that measures the depth of objects in a two-dimensional image using the contrast values of its pixels.
A common goal in image processing is to obtain information about a 3D space. One possible way to achieve this is to apply optical sectioning, in which a series of 2D images at multiple depths are aggregated to create an image that is effectively 3D. However, the multiple images required of optical sectioning is not always a feasible solution, and thus a method that allows extrapolation of depth measurements from a single 2D image is needed.
This technology takes as input a 2D image and produces an estimate of the depth dimension for that image. The effect of focal length at different depths produces a blur with predictable contrast in the 2D image. Therefore, by measuring the contrast values of the 2D image, the algorithm can estimate the difference in distance between objects in an image.
Aaron S. Wallack
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