Virtual Sensor-Data-Generation System And Method Supporting Development Of Vision-Based Rain-Detection Algorithms

A method of generating training data, the method comprising:

• executing, by a computer system, a simulation comprising
• traversing one or more virtual cameras over a virtual road surface and through at least one virtual precipitation condition and at least one virtual no precipitation condition that are sensible by the one or more virtual cameras, and
• moving, during the traversing, each of the one or more virtual cameras with respect to the virtual road surface as dictated by a vehicle-motion model modeling motion of a vehicle driving on the virtual road surface while carrying the one or more virtual cameras;
• and
• recording, by the computer system, image data characterizing the at least one virtual precipitation condition and at least one virtual no precipitation condition, the image data corresponding to signal output by the one or more virtual cameras during the traversing.

A computer system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• memory operably connected to the one or more processors;
• and
• the memory storing
• a virtual driving environment programmed to include at least one virtual precipitation condition and at least one virtual no precipitation condition,
• a first software model programmed to model a camera,
• a second software model programmed to model a vehicle, and
• a simulation module programmed to use the virtual driving environment, the first software model, and the second software model to produce an output modeling what would be output by the camera had the camera been mounted to the vehicle and the vehicle had driven on an actual driving environment matching the virtual driving environment.