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5. Activities in R rch and Development 
The DIPS can acquire digital data from CCD frame cameras directly and convert analog 
photographs into digital form via image scanner. Thus it is basically capable of processing a wide 
range of satellite, airborne and terrestrial image data. The emphasis in the further advancement of 
DIPS is not so much on the generation of a fully operational station in a practical sense but rather on 
the exploitation of the features of a development system. So the first priority is given to the 
development and test of algorithms and techniques for data acquisition and data processing. 
Hardware modifications for the sake of improved throughput rate or operator convenience are of 
lesser concern. Therefore research and development activities for the near future will be conducted 
according to the following stages. 
- Transfer of existing off-line software to the system (bundle adjustment with self-calibration, 
digital surface modelling by finite elements, intersection of single photograph rays with digital 
surface, image matching algorithms with and without geometrical constraints, various smaller 
programs for data reduction and analysis) 
- Design and implementation of a procedure for radiometric and geometrical calibration of solid 
state cameras. Standardization of targets, image acquisition mode and data reduction 
- Setup of two permanent 3D-testfields of different size for the geometrical calibration of solid 
state cameras 
- Development and test of concepts for "latent" testfields, i.e. temporary control information 
(points, distances) 
- |mplementation of an operator controlled measuring method off the screen with adaptable 
measuring mark forms, sizes and colors in mono and stereo mode 
- Implementation of image matching algorithms for the purpose of automated image target 
location, feature extraction and correlation 
- Implementation of simultaneous image matching/point positioning algorithms 
- Design and implementation of a bundle adjustment program for close-range applications with 
the inclusion of various geodetic observations and geometrical constraints 
- Development of "on board", local hardware for the CCD cameras for the purpose of A/D 
conversion, controlled and segmented sensor pixel readout (sensor windowing), and 
preprocessing 
- |ntegration of computer graphics and image processing, e.g. for the purpose of 
superpositioning 
6. Conclusions 
DIPS is used as a general development system for the implementation and test of various vision 
and point positioning algorithms related to the processing of satellite, airborne and terrestrial imagery 
and to the acquisition of terrestrial CCD frame sensor data. Particular emphasize is put on the 
development of a flexible point positioning system for close-range machine vision, including robot 
vision, using more than two cameras simultaneously and a widely application-independent 
positioning algorithm, also providing adequate precision and reliability measures for the object to be 
positioned. 
Although the system has video real time processing capabilities, this aspect is not of prime 
concern at present. It is rather intended to integrate the human operator into the automatic or 
semi-automatic processing routines, or vice versa. This definitely means that a DIPS operator has to 
meet new requirements, which are not fully explored and defined yet. 
The current accelerated evolution towards fully digital system technology will tremendously 
change the ways the science of photogrammetry and its concretization in practice is being conducted 
and perceived. Photogrammetry clearly becomes one of the modern "vision" disciplines. 
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