Visually-assisted stereo acquisition from a single camera

Abstract

A method of indicating a suitable pose for a camera for obtaining a stereoscopic image, with the camera comprising an imaging sensor. The method comprises obtaining and storing a first image of a scene using the imaging sensor when the camera is in a first pose; moving the camera to a second pose; and obtaining a second image of the scene when the camera is in the second pose. One or more disparity vectors are determined, each disparity vector being determined between a feature identified within the first image and a corresponding feature identified in the second image. On the basis of the one or more disparity vectors, a determination is made of whether the second image of the scene is suitable for use, together with the first image, as a stereoscopic image pair.