Infrared Camera Geometric Calibration: A Review and a Precise Thermal Radiation Checkerboard Target
Different infrared (IR) planar geometric calibration targets have been developed over the years that exploit a well-established and flexible optical camera geometric calibration procedure following the pinhole approximation. This geometric calibration is typically neglected in IR cameras, due to the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/7/3479 |
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| author | Ahmed ElSheikh Bassam A. Abu-Nabah Mohammad O. Hamdan Gui-Yun Tian |
| author_facet | Ahmed ElSheikh Bassam A. Abu-Nabah Mohammad O. Hamdan Gui-Yun Tian |
| author_sort | Ahmed ElSheikh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Different infrared (IR) planar geometric calibration targets have been developed over the years that exploit a well-established and flexible optical camera geometric calibration procedure following the pinhole approximation. This geometric calibration is typically neglected in IR cameras, due to the relatively low resolution of thermal images and the complex IR targets needed for the geometric calibration in comparison to the optical targets. In this study, a thorough literature review of numerous IR camera geometric calibration targets, along with their respective outcomes, were summarized and leveraged to deliver a practical checkerboard target for less experienced end users, while offering the lowest reprojection errors. It was concluded that the fabrication of high emissivity contrast and precise square points of intersection within a checkerboard pattern extends the accuracy of capturing these control points in a thermal image for an optimized IR camera geometric calibration. Accordingly, two simple planar checkerboard targets were fabricated using laser engraving and ultraviolet (UV) printing technologies on a polished stainless steel (SS304) plate. The UV-printed checkerboard target on a polished metallic alloy delivered the lowest mean reprojection error <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mi>MRE</mi></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> of <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>0.057</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> pixels and the lowest root mean square error <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mi>RMSE</mi></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> of reprojection of <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>0.063</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> pixels, with a standard deviation lower than <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>0.003</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> pixels. The UV-printed design offers better accuracy than any other checkerboard calibration target, and comparable results to the best prominent circular pattern results reported in the literature. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:24:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-42da3f733912492a86a035b1471bb78a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:24:38Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-42da3f733912492a86a035b1471bb78a2023-11-17T17:33:09ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202023-03-01237347910.3390/s23073479Infrared Camera Geometric Calibration: A Review and a Precise Thermal Radiation Checkerboard TargetAhmed ElSheikh0Bassam A. Abu-Nabah1Mohammad O. Hamdan2Gui-Yun Tian3Department of Mechanical Engineering, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah 26666, United Arab EmiratesDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah 26666, United Arab EmiratesDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah 26666, United Arab EmiratesSchool of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UKDifferent infrared (IR) planar geometric calibration targets have been developed over the years that exploit a well-established and flexible optical camera geometric calibration procedure following the pinhole approximation. This geometric calibration is typically neglected in IR cameras, due to the relatively low resolution of thermal images and the complex IR targets needed for the geometric calibration in comparison to the optical targets. In this study, a thorough literature review of numerous IR camera geometric calibration targets, along with their respective outcomes, were summarized and leveraged to deliver a practical checkerboard target for less experienced end users, while offering the lowest reprojection errors. It was concluded that the fabrication of high emissivity contrast and precise square points of intersection within a checkerboard pattern extends the accuracy of capturing these control points in a thermal image for an optimized IR camera geometric calibration. Accordingly, two simple planar checkerboard targets were fabricated using laser engraving and ultraviolet (UV) printing technologies on a polished stainless steel (SS304) plate. The UV-printed checkerboard target on a polished metallic alloy delivered the lowest mean reprojection error <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mi>MRE</mi></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> of <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>0.057</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> pixels and the lowest root mean square error <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mi>RMSE</mi></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> of reprojection of <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>0.063</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> pixels, with a standard deviation lower than <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>0.003</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> pixels. The UV-printed design offers better accuracy than any other checkerboard calibration target, and comparable results to the best prominent circular pattern results reported in the literature.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/7/3479lens distortiongeometric calibrationthermographyinfrared |
| spellingShingle | Ahmed ElSheikh Bassam A. Abu-Nabah Mohammad O. Hamdan Gui-Yun Tian Infrared Camera Geometric Calibration: A Review and a Precise Thermal Radiation Checkerboard Target Sensors lens distortion geometric calibration thermography infrared |
| title | Infrared Camera Geometric Calibration: A Review and a Precise Thermal Radiation Checkerboard Target |
| title_full | Infrared Camera Geometric Calibration: A Review and a Precise Thermal Radiation Checkerboard Target |
| title_fullStr | Infrared Camera Geometric Calibration: A Review and a Precise Thermal Radiation Checkerboard Target |
| title_full_unstemmed | Infrared Camera Geometric Calibration: A Review and a Precise Thermal Radiation Checkerboard Target |
| title_short | Infrared Camera Geometric Calibration: A Review and a Precise Thermal Radiation Checkerboard Target |
| title_sort | infrared camera geometric calibration a review and a precise thermal radiation checkerboard target |
| topic | lens distortion geometric calibration thermography infrared |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/7/3479 |
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