Triangulation Position Error Analysis for Closely Spaced Imagers

This paper provides an error analysis for a typical two camera, 3D triangulation system used in automotive crash test analysis. Accuracy of this 3D measurement for analysis of simple planar motion is compared to the accuracy expected from a comparable single sensor analysis system using calibration objects within the field of view. Both approaches are shown to produce errors on the order of 1 mm, object to object or frame to frame. This work also demonstrates how to utilize basic triangulation error equations to start from a given accuracy requirement and flow down an error budget in order to develop the basic sensor geometry and measurement requirements. The current work extends previous theoretical work which developed the basic error propagation theory for 3D triangulation.