Advice: ZED Mini Considerations for 3D object reconstruction and tracking at 30 cm working distance

Hardware ZED Mini
1

Hi,

I am currently evaluating ZED depth cameras for a system that requires 3D object reconstruction and online tracking

At this stage, I am considering the ZED Mini, and I would appreciate your guidance to better understand its suitability and possible alternatives within the ZED family.

My use case can be described at a high level as follows:

  • Working distance of approximately 30 cm

  • Object is curved and has low natural texture

  • The solution needs to be eye-safe

  • The camera is intended to be integrated into a larger system, with constraints on size, weight, and overall compactness

Based on this, I would be grateful if you could help answer the following questions by email:

  • What depth and reconstruction accuracy can be expected from the ZED Mini at a ~30 cm working distance?

  • Are there recommended approaches to improve reconstruction and tracking accuracy for curved, low-texture objects at this distance?

  • Does adding artificial texture (e.g., patterns, speckles, or markers) typically improve performance in such scenarios?

  • Given these constraints, is the ZED Mini the most suitable option, or are there other ZED models you would recommend for this type of application?

Thank you in advance for your support.

2

Hi @LolaB
Welcome to the Stereolabs community

Normally depth accuracy in optimal condition at 30 cm distance is 1%, so +/- 0.3 cm.
Please note that 30 cm is close to the minimum range value of the ZED Mini and image focus could not be optimal.

Yes, we use pure stereo vision with no Lidar or IR LED projectors, so texturization can add additional visual information that can help the surface reconstruction.

You could consider the ZED Mini which has a shorted baseline.