Embedded Vehicle Speed Estimation System Using an Asynchronous Temporal Contrast Vision Sensor

• Published in: EURASIP journal on embedded systems 2007, Vol.2007
• Main Authors: Bauer, D, Belbachir, A, Donath, N, Gritsch, G, Kohn, B, Litzenberger, M, Posch, C, Schon, P, Schraml, S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1687-3955; 1687-3963
• DOI: 10.1155/2007/82174

This article presents an embedded multilane traffic data acquisition system based on an asynchronous temporal contrast vision sensor, and algorithms for vehicle speed estimation developed to make efficient use of the asynchronous high-precision timing information delivered by this sensor. The vision sensor features high temporal resolution with a latency of less than 100 μs, wide dynamic range of 120 dB of illumination, and zero-redundancy, asynchronous data output. For data collection, processing and interfacing, a low-cost digital signal processor is used. The speed of the detected vehicles is calculated from the vision sensor's asynchronous temporal contrast event data. We present three different algorithms for velocity estimation and evaluate their accuracy by means of calibrated reference measurements. The error of the speed estimation of all algorithms is near zero mean and has a standard deviation better than 3%[[PQ_R EPLACE:[math]]] for both traffic flow directions. The results and the accuracy limitations as well as the combined use of the algorithms in the system are discussed.