Robotics
Depth camera
A depth camera assigns a distance, and not just a colour, to each pixel of an image. It gives the robot short-range perception of relief, useful for detecting an outstretched hand, a low obstacle or the edge of a stage.
Updated on 12 October 2026 · Libella Robotics · Also known as: RGB-D camera, 3D camera
Two techniques dominate: stereo vision, which infers distance from the offset between two lenses, and time of flight, which measures the return of projected infrared light. Useful ranges typically run from a few tens of centimetres to about ten metres.
Alongside a LiDAR, the depth camera covers what the LiDAR perceives poorly: very close objects and low surfaces. It is this combination that allows a humanoid to move among visitors without bumping into them.