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Optical Flow - Module5

This chapter discusses 2D motion estimation, highlighting its significance in video processing applications such as compression and filtering. It explains the distinction between actual 2D motion and optical flow, which can be influenced by factors like camera movement and lighting changes. The chapter also introduces the optical flow equation, emphasizing the challenges in accurately estimating motion based solely on image intensity variations.

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anupamabhan
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8 views6 pages

Optical Flow - Module5

This chapter discusses 2D motion estimation, highlighting its significance in video processing applications such as compression and filtering. It explains the distinction between actual 2D motion and optical flow, which can be influenced by factors like camera movement and lighting changes. The chapter also introduces the optical flow equation, emphasizing the challenges in accurately estimating motion based solely on image intensity variations.

Uploaded by

anupamabhan
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Motion estimation is an important part of any

video processing system. In this chapter, we


are only concerned with the estimation of 2D
motion.

Also, 2D motion estimation itself has a wide


range of applications, including video
compression, video sampling rate conversion,
video filtering, etc.

Depending on the intended applications for the


resulting 2D motion vectors, motion estimation
methods could be very different. For example,
for computer vision applications, where the 2D
motion vectors are to be used to deduce 3D
structure and motion parameters, a sparse set
of 2D motion vectors at critical feature points
may be sufficient.

On the other hand, for video compression


applications, the estimated motion vectors are
used to produce a motion-compensated
prediction of a frame to be coded from a
previously coded reference frame. The ultimate
goal is to minimize the total bits used for
coding the motion vectors and the prediction
errors.

There is a trade-off that one can play between


the accuracy of the estimated motion, and the
number of bits used to specify the motion.
Sometimes, even when the estimated motion is
not an accurate representation of the true
physical motion, it can still lead to good
temporal prediction and in that regard is
considered a good estimate.
All the motion estimation algorithms are based
on temporal changes in image intensities
(more generally color). In fact, the observed 2D
motions based on intensity changes may not
be the same as the actual 2D motions. To be
more precise, the velocity of observed or
apparent 2D motion vectors are referred to as
optical flow.

Optical flow can be caused not only by object


motions, but also camera movements or
illumination condition changes.

Optical Flow
2D Motion vs. Optical Flow

The human eye perceives motion by identifying


corresponding points at different times. The
correspondence is usually determined by
assuming that the color or brightness of a point
does not change after the motion. It is
interesting to note that the observed 2D
motion can be different from the actual
projected 2D motion under certain
circumstances. Figure 6.1 illustrates two
special cases.

In the first example, a sphere with a uniform at


surface is rotating under a constant ambient
light. Because every point on the sphere
reflects the same color, the eye cannot
observe any change in the color pattern of the
imaged sphere and thus considers the sphere
as being stationary.

In the second example, the sphere is


stationary, but is illuminated by a point light
source that is rotating around the sphere. The
motion of the light source causes the
movement of the reflecting light spot on the
sphere, which in turn can make the eye believe
the sphere, is rotating. The observed or
apparent 2D motion is referred to as optical
flow in computer vision literature.

The above examples reveal that the optical


flow may not be the same as the true 2D
motion. When only image color information is
available, the best one can hope to estimate
accurately is the optical flow.

Optical Flow Equation and Ambiguity in


Motion Estimation

Consider a video sequence whose luminance


variation is represented by Ψ(x, y,t). Suppose
an imaged point (x,y) at time t is moved to
(x+dx , y+dy) at time t+dt.

Under the constant intensity assumption


introduced the images of the same object point
at different times have the same luminance
value. Therefore,
Using Taylor's expansion, when dx, dy, dt are
small, we have

Combining Eqs. (6.1.1) and (6.1.2) yields

The above equation is written in terms of the


motion vector (dx, dy). Dividing both sides by dt
yields

where (vx,vy) represents the velocity vector,


is the spatial gradient vector of (x, y, t). In
arriving at the above equation, we have
assumed that dt is small, so that vx = dx / dt ,
vy = dy / dt. The above equation is commonly
known as the optical flow equation.

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