A Comparison between Frame-based and Event-based Cameras for Flapping-Wing Robot Perception

TL;DR

This paper compares frame-based and event-based cameras for flapping-wing robot perception, highlighting the advantages of event cameras in terms of resolution, dynamic range, and power, while also discussing current challenges.

Contribution

It provides an experimental comparison tailored to ornithopters, evaluating camera performance and vision algorithms in realistic flapping-wing scenarios.

Findings

Event cameras outperform frame-based cameras in dynamic conditions.

Event cameras offer lower power consumption and higher dynamic range.

Open challenges remain for deploying event-based vision on flapping-wing robots.

Abstract

Perception systems for ornithopters face severe challenges. The harsh vibrations and abrupt movements caused during flapping are prone to produce motion blur and strong lighting condition changes. Their strict restrictions in weight, size, and energy consumption also limit the type and number of sensors to mount onboard. Lightweight traditional cameras have become a standard off-the-shelf solution in many flapping-wing designs. However, bioinspired event cameras are a promising solution for ornithopter perception due to their microsecond temporal resolution, high dynamic range, and low power consumption. This paper presents an experimental comparison between frame-based and an event-based camera. Both technologies are analyzed considering the particular flapping-wing robot specifications and also experimentally analyzing the performance of well-known vision algorithms with data recorded onboard a flapping-wing robot. Our results suggest event cameras as the most suitable sensors for ornithopters. Nevertheless, they also evidence the open challenges for event-based vision on board flapping-wing robots.