Projected pattern motion/vibration for depth sensing

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions, that when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

• causing a texture projector to project a texture pattern onto an environment;
• causing a displacer coupled to the texture projector to repeatedly change a position of the texture pattern within the environment using a MicroElectroMechanical System (MEMS) device configured to repeatedly provide a back-and-forth motion that physically alters a position of the texture projector on a predefined path along a rail while the texture projector projects the texture pattern, wherein the MEMS device provides the back-and-forth motion at one or more frequencies based on a signal received by the MEMS device from the one or more computing devices;
• receiving stereo sensor data for the environment, wherein the stereo sensor data comprises a plurality of image pairs corresponding to a plurality of different positions of the texture pattern, and wherein each image pair of the plurality of image pairs comprises a first image captured from a first viewpoint of a first optical sensor and a second image captured from a second viewpoint of a second optical sensor;
• and
• determining, using the stereo sensor data, an output including a virtual representation of the environment, wherein the output comprises a depth of at least one surface in the environment.

A system comprising:

• a robotic manipulator;
• at least one projector coupled to a rail on the robotic manipulator and configured to project a texture pattern onto an environment;
• a displacer coupled to the at least one projector and configured to repeatedly change a position of the texture pattern within the environment using a MicroElectroMechanical System (MEMS) device configured to repeatedly provide a back-and-forth motion that physically alters a position of the texture projector on a predefined path along the rail while the at least one projector projects the texture pattern, wherein the MEMS device is configured to provide the back-and-forth motion at one or more frequencies based on a signal received by the MEMS device from a computing device;
• at least two optical sensors configured to capture stereo sensor data for the environment, wherein the stereo sensor data comprises a plurality of image pairs corresponding to a plurality of different positions of the texture pattern during a predetermined time period, and wherein each image pair of the plurality of image pairs comprises a first image captured from a first viewpoint of a first optical sensor and a second image captured from a second viewpoint of a second optical sensor;
• and
• the computing device configured to determine, using the stereo sensor data, an output including a virtual representation of the environment, wherein the output comprises a depth of at least one surface in the environment.