Self-calibration for a catadioptric camera

A computer-implemented process stored in a computer memory for causing a computer to self-calibrate a catadioptric camera, comprising;

• an initialization step for obtaining an initial set of calibration parameters;
• a capture step for capturing a sequence of images from the catadioptric camera;
• a consistency step for determining a consistency of tracked features across at least a portion of the sequence of images;
• a characterization step for defining an epipolar geometry that links the tracked features across two images within the sequence of images;
• a definition step for defining an objective function as a deviation from the epipolar geometry for the tracked features across two images in the sequence of images;
• and
• a calculating step for using the tracked features to find a set of optimal calibration parameters.

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for causing a computing device to calibrate a catadioptric camera, comprising:

• capturing an image sequence using the catadioptric camera;
• tracking a feature across the image sequence;
• determining a consistency of the tracked features across the image sequence by defining a relationship between the tracked features and calibration parameters, further comprising defining the relationship as an objective function representing errors between actual locations and predicted locations of the tracked features within the image sequence;
• and
• automatically calibrating the catadioptric camera using the image sequence without a need for user input during the calibration process.