Embedding the AnaFocus' Eye-RIS vision system in roving robots to enhance the action-oriented perception

This paper aims to describe how the AnaFocus' Eye-RIS family of vision systems has been successfully embedded within the roving robots developed under the framework of SPARK and SPARK II European projects to solve the action-oriented perception problem in real time. Indeed, the Eye-RIS family is a set of vision systems which are conceived for single-chip integration using CMOS technologies. The Eye-RIS systems employ a bio-inspired architecture where image acquisition and processing are truly intermingled and the processing itself is carried out in two steps. At the first step, processing is fully parallel owing to the concourse of dedicated circuit structures which are integrated close to the sensors. These structures handle basically analog information. At the second step, processing is realized on digitally-coded information data by means of digital processors. On the other hand, SPARK I and SPARK II are European research projects which goal is to develop completely new sensing-perceiving-moving artefacts inspired by the basic principles of living systems and based on the concept of "selforganization". As a result, its low-power consumption together with its huge image-processing capabilities makes the Eye-RIS vision system a suitable choice to be embedded within the roving robots developed under the framework of SPARK projects and to implement in real time the resulting mathematical models for action-oriented perception. ©2009 SPIE.