3D Cameras developed for a space rover supporting various businesses on Earth

Humans have two eyes to perceive depth and see the world in three dimensions. Back in 2001 ESA started to develop a 3D camera to navigate a rover on another planet. The power of stereoscopic vision not only opened a new window to space, but also to a whole new range of stereo cameras for business on Earth. The design and development of ERB were the catalyst for the spin-off company 3D-ONE, now producing low-cost but high-end 3D cameras that are sold worldwide. The spin-off company customizes the cameras to meet the specific needs of its customers in areas as diverse as forensics, medicine, surveillance and quality monitoring. By adding hyperspectral capability gleaned from space to a camera, the possibilities multiply – its fine resolution and wide range of wavelengths have applications in agriculture, biomedicine, geosciences and surveillance.