Re: PHOTO-3D digest 1190

[Ronald J Beck 840196 <rbeck@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

*** In digest #1190 you said...

>To some degree, stereo vision can defeat camouflage.  This is partly 
>because the outline of an object seems to move against the background 
>when comparing right and left, and partly because the shadows shift 
>in a similar way.  There other visual cues that emerge in stereo 
>viewing that are difficult to see in flat photos, can they be used to 
>reveal patterns or hidden objects?
>Stereo World, 1/2 1986, has a brief article on the subject.  The claim
>is made that moths will press their wings close to the bark of a tree to
>minimize their shadow. In 1986, little was known on animal depth
>perception, has that field (be it ever so slightly off topic here) 
expanded?
>Camouflage is also used in warfare, has stereoscopy been used to defeat
>this subterfuge?  The SW article notes the German WWII airstrips that
>had bomb craters painted on them, a ruse exposed by aerial stereo
>photography.  

I think you'll find that a lot of the imaging systems used in warfare 
these days is infrared.  And don't think that this means those hard-to-see 
reddish hued displays that everyone sees on TV.  The images I've seen on 
demo units they've set up in the hall is almost like watching tv in black 
& white.  It even showed the outline of a person's hand that they had 
placed against their pants leg and then removed.  During another demo I 
was able to read license plate numbers on cars in the parking lot in the 
middle of the night with no lights in the area!

I would love to see this technology combined with some sort of stereo 
vision unit (binoculars maybe?, stereo video w/ lcd glasses?).

Regards,
Ron

P.S. Texas Instruments is one of the leaders in night vision technology.  
We make more than calculators & computer chips! :-)


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