Epipolar Geometry
16-385 Computer Vision
Carnegie Mellon University (Kris Kitani)
Tie tiny threads on HERB and pin them to your eyeball
What would it look like?
You see points on HERB
What does the second observer see?
You see points on HERB
Second person sees lines
This is Epipolar Geometry
Epipole
Epipolar lines
Epipolar geometry
p
o
Image plane
Epipolar geometry
p
Baseline
Image plane
Epipolar geometry
p
e
Image plane
Baseline
Epipole
(projection of o on the image plane)
Epipolar geometry
p
Epipolar plane
e
Image plane
Baseline
Epipole
(projection of o on the image plane)
Epipolar geometry
Epipolar line
(intersection of Epipolar
plane and image plane)
p
Epipolar plane
l
o
l
e
Image plane
Baseline
Epipole
(projection of o on the image plane)
Epipolar constraint
p
x
o
x0
l
e
Potential matches for
x lie on the epipolar line l
x
o
x0
l
e
o0
The point x (left image) maps to a ___________ in the right image
The baseline connects the ___________ and ____________
An epipolar line (left image) maps to a __________ in the right image
An epipole e is a projection of the ______________ on the image plane
All epipolar lines in an image intersect at the ______________
Converging cameras
Where is the epipole in this image?
Converging cameras
Where is the epipole in this image?
Its not always in the image
Parallel cameras
Where is the epipole?
Parallel cameras
epipole at infinity
Forward moving camera
Forward moving camera
Where is the epipole?
What do the epipolar lines look like?
Epipole has same coordinates in both images.
Points move along lines radiating from Focus of expansion
The epipolar constraint is an important concept for stereo vision
Task: Match point in left image to point in right image
Left image
Right image
How would you do it?
The epipolar constraint is an important concept for stereo vision
Task: Match point in left image to point in right image
Left image
Right image
Want to avoid search over entire image
(if the images have been rectified)
Epipolar constrain reduces search to a single line
E
Essential Matrix
16-385 Computer Vision
Carnegie Mellon University (Kris Kitani)
Recall:Epipolar constraint
p
x
o
x0
l
e
Potential matches for
x lie on the epipolar line l
The epipolar geometry is an important concept for stereo vision
Task: Match point in left image to point in right image
Left image
Right image
How would you do it?
The epipolar constraint is an important concept for stereo vision
Task: Match point in left image to point in right image
Left image
Right image
Epipolar constrain reduces search to a single line
How do you compute the epipolar line?
Essential Matrix
The Essential Matrix is a 3 x 3 matrix that
encodes epipolar geometry
Given a point in one image,
multiplying by the essential matrix will tell us
the epipolar line in the second view.
Ex = l
X
0
x
o
o0
Representing the
Epipolar Line
ax + by + c = 0
in vector form
If the point
a
l=4 b 5
c
x is on the epipolar line l then
e
x
>
x l= ?
Epipolar Line
ax + by + c = 0
in vector form
If the point
a
l=4 b 5
c
x is on the epipolar line l then
e
x
>
x l=0
Recall:
Dot
Product
c=ab
b
a
ca=0
cb=0
So if
>
x l=0
and
Ex = l
then
0>
x Ex = ?
X
0
x
o
o0
So if
>
x l=0
and
Ex = l
then
0>
x Ex = 0
X
0
x
o
o0
Motivation
The Essential Matrix is a 3 x 3 matrix that
encodes epipolar geometry
Given a point in one image,
multiplying by the essential matrix will tell us
the epipolar line in the second view.
Essential Matrix vs Homography
Whats the difference between the essential matrix and a homography?
Essential Matrix vs Homography
Whats the difference between the essential matrix and a homography?
They are both 3 x 3 matrices but
Essential Matrix vs Homography
Whats the difference between the essential matrix and a homography?
They are both 3 x 3 matrices but
l = Ex
x = Hx
Essential matrix maps a
point to a line
Homography maps a
point to a point
Where does the Essential matrix come from?
X
x0
x
o
R, t
x = R(x
t)
X
x0
x
o
R, t
x = R(x
t)
Does this look familiar?
X
x0
x
o
R, t
x = R(x
t)
Camera-camera transform just like world-camera transform
X
x0
x
o
These three vectors are coplanar
x, t, x
X
x0
x
o
If these three vectors are coplanar
>
x, t, x
x (t x) = ?
then
X
x0
x
o
If these three vectors are coplanar
>
x, t, x
x (t x) = 0
then
Recall: Cross Product
Vector (cross) product
takes two vectors and returns a vector perpendicular to both
c=ab
b
a
ca=0
cb=0
X
x0
x
o
If these three vectors are coplanar
(x
>
x, t, x
t) (t x) = ?
then
X
x0
x
o
If these three vectors are coplanar
(x
>
x, t, x
t) (t x) = 0
then
putting it together
rigid motion
0
x = R(x
coplanarity
t)
0>
(x
>
t) (t x) = 0
(x R)(t x) = 0
putting it together
rigid motion
0
x = R(x
coplanarity
t)
0>
(x
>
t) (t x) = 0
(x R)(t x) = 0
0>
(x R)([t ]x) = 0
Cross product
a 2 b3
a b = 4 a 3 b1
a 1 b2
a 3 b2
a 1 b3 5
a 2 b1
Can also be written as a matrix multiplication
0
a b = [a] b = 4 a3
a2
a3
0
a1
32
a2
b1
a 1 5 4 b2 5
0
b3
Skew symmetric
putting it together
rigid motion
0
x = R(x
coplanarity
t)
0>
(x
>
t) (t x) = 0
(x R)(t x) = 0
0>
(x R)([t ]x) = 0
0>
x (R[t ])x = 0
putting it together
rigid motion
0
x = R(x
coplanarity
t)
(x
0>
>
t) (t x) = 0
(x R)(t x) = 0
0>
(x R)([t ]x) = 0
0>
x (R[t ])x = 0
0>
x Ex = 0
putting it together
rigid motion
0
x = R(x
coplanarity
t)
(x
>
t) (t x) = 0
0>
(x R)(t x) = 0
0>
(x R)([t ]x) = 0
0>
x (R[t ])x = 0
0>
x Ex = 0
Essential Matrix"
[Longuet-Higgins 1981]
properties of the E matrix
Longuet-Higgins equation
0>
x Ex = 0
(points in normalized coordinates)
properties of the E matrix
Longuet-Higgins equation
Epipolar lines
>
x l=0
0
l = Ex
0>
x Ex = 0
0> 0
x l =0
T
l=E x
(points in normalized coordinates)
properties of the E matrix
Longuet-Higgins equation
Epipolar lines
>
x l=0
x Ex = 0
0> 0
x l =0
l=E x
0>
Ee = 0
l = Ex
Epipoles
0>
e E=0
(points in normalized coordinates)
How do you generalize to
uncalibrated cameras?
F
Fundamental Matrix
16-385 Computer Vision
Recall:Epipolar constraint
p
x
o
x0
l
e
Potential matches for
x lie on the epipolar line l
Given a point in one image,
multiplying by the essential matrix will tell us
the epipolar line in the second view.
Ex = l
X
0
x
o
o0
Assumption: "
points aligned to camera coordinate axis (calibrated camera)
The
Fundamental matrix "
is a
generalization
of the
Essential matrix, "
where the assumption of
calibrated cameras
is removed
0>
Ex
=0
x
The Essential matrix operates on image points expressed in
normalized coordinates
(points have been aligned (normalized) to camera coordinates)
=K
x
camera
point
x0 = K
image
point
Writing out the epipolar constraint in terms of image coordinates
0>
0 >
0>
0 >
x K
x (K
0>
EK
EK
x=0
)x = 0
x Fx = 0
Same equation works in image coordinates!
0>
x Fx = 0
it maps pixels to epipolar lines
properties of the E matrix
Longuet-Higgins equation
Epipolar lines
>
x l=0
x Ex = 0
0> 0
x l =0
l=E x
0>
Ee = 0
l = Ex
Epipoles
0>
e E=0
(points in image coordinates)
Breaking down the fundamental matrix
F=K
F=K
0 >
0 >
EK
[t ]RK
Depends on both intrinsic and extrinsic parameters
Breaking down the fundamental matrix
F=K
F=K
0 >
0 >
EK
[t ]RK
Depends on both intrinsic and extrinsic parameters
How would you solve for F?
0>
xm Fxm
=0
