Real-Time Regular Polygonal Sign Detection

Abstract

In this paper, we present a new adaptation of the regular polygon detection algorithm for real-time road sign detection for autonomous vehicles. The method is robust to partial occlusion and fading, and insensitive to lighting conditions. We experimentally demonstrate its application to the detection of various signs, particularly evaluating it on a sequence of roundabout signs taken from the ANU/NICTA vehicle. The algorithm runs faster than 20 frames per second on a standard PC, detecting signs of the size that appears in road scenes, as observed from a camera mounted on the rear-vision mirror. The algorithm uses the symmetric nature of regular polygonal shapes, we also use the constrained appearance of such shapes in the road scene to the car in order to facilitate their fast, robust detection.