Metrological Characterization and Comparison of D415, D455, L515 RealSense Devices in the Close Range

RGB-D cameras are employed in several research fields and application scenarios. Choosing the most appropriate sensor has been made more difficult by the increasing offer of available products. Due to the novelty of RGB-D technologies, there was a lack of tools to measure and compare performances of this type of sensor from a metrological perspective. The recent ISO 10360-13:2021 represents the most advanced international standard regulating metrological characterization of coordinate measuring systems. Part 13, specifically, considers 3D optical sensors. This paper applies the methodology of ISO 10360-13 for the characterization and comparison of three RGB-D cameras produced by Intel(R) RealSense (TM) (D415, D455, L515) in the close range (100-1500 mm). ISO 10360-13 procedures, which focus on metrological performances, are integrated with additional tests to evaluate systematic errors (acquisition of flat objects, 3D reconstruction of objects). The present paper proposes an off-the-shelf comparison which considers the performance of the sensors throughout their acquisition volume. Results have exposed the strengths and weaknesses of each device. The D415 device showed better reconstruction quality on tests strictly related to the short range. The L515 device performed better on systematic depth errors; finally, the D455 device achieved better results on tests related to the standard.

Automated summary

RGB-D cameras are widely used in various research fields and application scenarios, making it challenging to choose the most suitable sensor due to the increasing product options. The lack of tools to measure and compare the performance of RGB-D sensors from a metrological perspective adds to the complexity. This paper characterizes and compares three RGB-D cameras using the methodology of ISO 10360-13, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each device in different tests related to short range, systematic depth errors, and standard performance.