Research on depth estimation for monocular cameras based on prior information

Abstract

This study presents a monocular camera-based depth estimation method that estimates the distance between a vehicle and the camera using the camera's intrinsic parameters, distortion correction, and the size of the object in the camera's image. The method involves detecting a red rectangular tag with a known size positioned behind the vehicle, calculating its image width, and then using the camera's focal length and the tag's actual dimensions to estimate the depth. This approach does not rely on additional hardware sensors but achieves accurate distance estimation through image processing techniques, providing a potential solution for low-cost depth estimation. Experimental results demonstrate that the method is both accurate and computationally efficient, making it suitable for practical applications.