See-and-avoid sensor

An apparatus for object detection, comprising:

• a processor,
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
• capture an image of a scene, the image containing at least three polarization angles;
• translate polarization parameters associated with the at least three polarization angles to a reference angle to create a vector map;
• resolve the vector map into parallel components and perpendicular components, wherein the parallel components are parallel to a plane of incidence of light in the scene and the perpendicular components are perpendicular to the plane of incidence;
• determine a range map based at least in part on the parallel components and the perpendicular components;
• detect an object present in the scene based at least in part on the range map and an airlight scattering polarization component;
• and
• output an indication of the object based at least in part on the detection of the object.

An apparatus for object detection, comprising:

• means for capturing an image of a scene, the image containing at least three polarization angles;
• means for translating polarization parameters associated with the at least three polarization angles to a reference angle to create a vector map;
• means for resolving the vector map into parallel components and perpendicular components, wherein the parallel components are parallel to a plane of incidence of light in the scene and the perpendicular components are perpendicular to the plane of incidence;
• means for determining a range map based at least in part on the parallel components and the perpendicular components;
• means for detecting an object present in the scene based at least in part on the range map and an airlight scattering polarization component;
• and
• means for outputting an indication of the object based at least in part on the detection of the object.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for object detection, the code comprising instructions executable by a processor to:

• capture an image of a scene, the image containing at least three polarization angles;
• translate polarization parameters associated with the at least three polarization angles to a reference angle to create a vector map;
• resolve the vector map into parallel components and perpendicular components, wherein the parallel components are parallel to a plane of incidence of light in the scene and the perpendicular components are perpendicular to the plane of incidence;
• determine a range map based at least in part on the parallel components and the perpendicular components;
• detect an object present in the scene based at least in part on the range map and an airlight scattering polarization component;
• and
• output an indication of the object based at least in part on the detection of the object.