Relative Pose Calibration Between Visual and Inertial Sensors

Abstract

This paper proposes an approach to calibrate off-the-shelf cameras and inertial sensors to have a useful integrated system to be used in static and dynamic situations. When both sensors are integrated in a system their relative pose needs to be determined. The rotation between the camera and the inertial sensor can be estimated, concurrently with camera calibration, by having both sensors observe the vertical direction in several poses. The camera relies on a vertical chequered planar target and the inertial sensor on gravity to obtain a vertical reference. Depending on the setup and system motion, the translation between the two sensors can also be important. Using a simple passive turntable and static images, the translation can be estimated. The system needs to be placed in several poses and adjusted to turn about the inertial sensor centre, so that the lever arm to the camera can be determined. Simulation and real data results are presented to show the validity and simple requirements of the proposed methods.