projectorcentered

Projector-centered (also written as projectorcentered) is a term used in computer vision and graphics to describe a projection model in which the projector itself serves as the central reference point for projection rays. In this framework, geometric quantities are expressed with the projector’s center as the origin of projection, similar to the camera-centered model but anchored to the light source rather than the imaging sensor.

The approach is common in projector–camera systems and structured-light 3D scanning, where the projector projects known patterns onto a scene and the lines of sight from the projector provide geometric constraints for reconstruction. In a projector-centered model, the projection process is described from the projector’s perspective, and extrinsic calibration defines the relative pose between the projector and any cameras involved.

Calibration involves estimating the projector’s intrinsic parameters, such as focal length and distortion, and its extrinsic parameters relative to other sensors. The model facilitates ray-based reasoning from the projector to estimated 3D points, often simplifying the formulation of correspondences between projector image pixels and scene geometry.

Advantages of a projector-centered representation include intuitive handling of light–scene interactions and straightforward formulation of projections in light-based capture. Limitations include sensitivity to precise alignment, occlusions, and calibration complexity in multi-sensor setups. The term is not universally standardized and appears primarily in academic discussions of projector–camera configurations and light-based 3D capture.