IFPs-Free Marker Design and Threshold-Free Detection for Deformable Surface Tracking

Visual localization is essential in many vision-driven interaction domains, including automation, AR (augmented reality), and surgical navigation. This paper presents a visual marker specifically designed for deformable surface tracking. It has three advantages: 1) IFPs (inner false positives) detection is avoided through grayscale integration design, leading to more robust results. 2) Without relying on thresholds, our detection algorithm enhances the method’s reliability in deformable surface with complex shading. 3) We use a position-sensing marker design with higher information density than the self-identifing marker to ensure the supply of features. In the experiments, our marker achieved superior localization accuracy and zero IFPs. Additionally, we present two compelling case studies showcasing the marker’s practical applications in augmented reality and surgical instrument tracking. Our work offers a significant advancement in visual localization, especially in challenging scenarios involving deformable surfaces, providing valuable solutions for researchers and developers across various application domains.