Smart Headlight: An Application of Projector-Camera Vision

A projector manipulates outgoing light rays, while a camera records incoming ones. Combining these optically inverse devices, especially in a coaxial manner, creates the possibility of a new computer-vision technology. The "Smart Headlight," currently under development at Carnegie Mellon's Robotics Institute, is one example: a device that can "erase" raindrops or snowflakes from a driver's sight, allowing for continuous use of the "high beams" mode while not causing glare against oncoming drivers, and enhance the appearance of important objects, such as pedestrians. In that sense, it constitutes a "genuine" augmented reality, manipulating the reality for how it appears to a viewer, rather than merely overlaying objects on the image of the reality. This talk will present the state of the Smart Headlight project and discuss further possible applications of projector-camera systems.