Testing 3D imaging systems

A method comprising:

• controlling a mount for a calibration target that includes a spinning propeller region to automatically move to multiple testing positions along a rail;
• receiving, for each of the multiple testing positions along the rail, a reading from a particular three-dimensional camera that is configured to capture two-dimensional images with pixel values that indicate a distance from the three-dimensional camera to a point of a captured scene that includes the calibration target, and that is coupled to a mount for the three-dimensional camera, the reading including a distance from the three-dimensional camera to a particular calibration target coupled to the mount for the calibration target;
• receiving, for each of the multiple testing positions that the calibration target is automatically moved along the rail, a measurement of an actual distance from the particular three-dimensional camera to the particular calibration target;
• determining measurement characteristics of the particular three-dimensional camera, including a distance mean and a variance for each pixel at each of the multiple testing positions that the calibration target is automatically moved along the rail, based on (i) the readings from the particular three-dimensional camera for each of the multiple testing positions along the rail, and (ii) the measurements of the actual distance for each of the multiple testing positions along the rail, the measurement characteristics comprising:
• motion artifacts that are calculated using the spinning propeller region of the particular calibration target;
• providing the distance mean and the variance for the particular three-dimensional camera that are determined for each pixel at each of the multiple testing positions that the calibration target is automatically moved along the rail for production of results through correction of irregularities from ideal measurements;
• and
• correcting, using signal processing and using the provided distance mean and the variance for the particular three-dimensional camera that are determined for each pixel at each of the multiple testing positions that the calibration target is automatically moved along the rail, for the irregularities from the ideal measurement characteristics in measurements that are subsequently obtained from the particular three-dimensional camera.

At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

• controlling a mount for a calibration target that includes a spinning propeller region to automatically move to multiple testing positions along a rail;
• receiving, for each of the multiple testing positions along the rail, a reading from a particular three-dimensional camera that is configured to capture two-dimensional images with pixel values that indicate a distance from the three-dimensional camera to a point of a captured scene that includes the calibration target, and that is coupled to a mount for the three-dimensional camera, the reading including a distance from the three-dimensional camera to a particular calibration target coupled to the mount for the calibration target;
• receiving, for each of the multiple testing positions that the calibration target is automatically moved along the rail, a measurement of an actual distance from the particular three-dimensional camera to the particular calibration target;
• determining measurement characteristics of the particular three-dimensional camera, including a distance mean and a variance for each pixel at each of the multiple testing positions that the calibration target is automatically moved along the rail, based on (i) the readings from the particular three-dimensional camera for each of the multiple testing positions along the rail, and (ii) the measurements of the actual distance for each of the multiple testing positions along the rail, the measurement characteristics comprising:
• motion artifacts that are calculated using the spinning propeller region of the particular calibration target;
• providing the distance mean and the variance for the particular three-dimensional camera that are determined for each pixel at each of the multiple testing positions that the calibration target is automatically moved along the rail for production of results through correction of irregularities from ideal measurements;
• and
• correcting, using signal processing and using the provided distance mean and the variance for the particular three-dimensional camera that are determined for each pixel at each of the multiple testing positions that the calibration target is automatically moved along the rail, for the irregularities from the ideal measurement characteristics in measurements that are subsequently obtained from the particular three-dimensional camera.