ROAD OBSTACLE DETECTION AND TRACKING BY AN ACTIVE AND INTELLIGENT SENSING STRATEGY

In this paper, we address the problem of road obstacle deletion. We pr opose a method based on an active and intelligent sensing strategy. A sensor composed of a range finder coupled with a (charge-coupled-devic e) CCD camera is used. This sensor is mounted in front of a vehicle. T he basic idea is first to determine 2D visual targets in intensity ima ges of the camera. Then the range finder will be used not only to conf irm or reject the existence of the detected visual targets, but also t o acquire 3D information of the confirmed visual targets. The central problem of this strategy is how to detect 2D visual targets from inten sity images of a road scene. In our method, we consider line segments as significant features. We use the concept of line segment of interes t and the concept of dominant line segment. With the help of the ident ified dominant line segments in an image, we can effectively ascertain 2D visual targets. Finally, we use the range finder to confirm or rej ect a 2D visual target. A confirmed visual target is temporally tracke d with the help of the range finder.