Research on the center extraction algorithm of structured light fringe based on an improved gray gravity center method

Abstract In this study, we proposed a fast line-structured light stripe center extraction algorithm based on an improved barycenter algorithm to address the problem that the conventional strip center extraction algorithm cannot meet the requirements of a structured light 3D measurement system in terms of speed and accuracy. First, the algorithm performs pretreatment of the structured light image and obtains the approximate position of the stripe center through skeleton extraction. Next, the normal direction of each pixel on the skeleton is solved using the gray gradient method. Then, the weighted gray center of the gravity method is used to solve the stripe center coordinates along the normal direction. Finally, a smooth strip centerline is fitted using the least squares method. The experimental results show that the improved algorithm achieved significant improvement in speed, sub-pixel level accuracy, and a good structured light stripe center extraction effect, as well as the repeated measurement accuracy of the improved algorithm is within 0.01 mm, and the algorithm has good repeatability.