Stereo camera system for obtaining a stereo image of an object, and system and method for measuring distance between the stereo camera system and the object using the stereo image

Abstract

A stereo camera system for obtaining a stereo image of an object to measure distance between the stereo camera system and the object is provided. The stereo camera system 10 comprises a camera 11 and a prism 12 arranged at a desirable distance from the front side of the lens of said camera 11. The prism 11 may be a delta shaped biprism having a base 13, a first incline 14 and a second incline 15, in which both the first incline 14 and said second incline 15 obliquely face the lens of said camera 11. Alternatively, the prism may be a trigonal pyramid shaped triprism having a base and three inclines, in which the three inclines obliquely face the lens of said camera. The camera 11 may be a charge coupled device camera. The present invention also relates to a distance measurement system and a distance measurement method for measuring distance between the stereo camera system and an object using disparity of a stereo image of the object.