Imager for detecting visual light and projected patterns

1. A system comprising:

a first optical sensor and a second optical sensor, wherein each optical sensor comprises a first plurality of photodetectors configured to capture visible light interspersed with a second plurality of photodetectors configured to capture infrared light within a particular infrared band, wherein the first plurality of photodetectors and the second plurality of photodetectors alternate along both rows and columns to form a checkerboard pattern;

a light source configured to project infrared light of a wavelength within the particular infrared band onto an environment; and

a computing device configured to:

identify first corresponding features of the environment between a first visible light image captured by the first optical sensor and a second visible light image captured by the second optical sensor;

identify second corresponding features of the environment between a first infrared light image captured by the first optical sensor and a second infrared light image captured by the second optical sensor; and

determine a depth estimate for at least one surface in the environment based on the first corresponding features and the second corresponding features.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the depth estimate for at least one surface in the environment comprises:

determining a first depth estimate of at least one surface in the environment based on the first corresponding features;

determining a second depth estimate of at least one surface in the environment based on the second corresponding features; and

determining, as the depth estimate, a combined depth estimate of at least one surface based on the first depth estimate and the second depth estimate.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein determining the combined depth estimate comprises averaging the first depth estimate and the second depth estimate to determine the combined depth estimate.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light source is a texture projector configured to project a predetermined texture pattern onto the environment.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the computing system is further configured to cause the texture projector to project the predetermined texture pattern onto the environment before the first infrared light image and the second infrared light image are captured.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a robotic manipulator, wherein the at least two optical sensors are coupled to the robotic manipulator.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the light source is coupled to the robotic manipulator.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:

determine a length of time since the combined depth estimate was determined; and

based on the length of time exceeding a threshold length of time, repeating the steps of (i) identifying the first corresponding features, (ii) identifying the second corresponding features, and (iii) determining the depth estimate.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, from a first plurality of photodetectors of a first optical sensor, a first visible light image of an environment as perceived from a first viewpoint;

receiving, from a first plurality of photodetectors of a second optical sensor, a second visible light image of the environment as perceived from a second viewpoint;

receiving, from a second plurality of photodetectors of the first optical sensor, a first infrared light image of the environment as perceived from the first viewpoint, wherein the second plurality of photodetectors of the first optical sensor is configured to capture infrared light within a particular infrared band;

receiving, from a second plurality of photodetectors of the second optical sensor, a second infrared light image of the environment as perceived from the second viewpoint, wherein the second plurality of photodetectors of the second optical sensor is configured to capture infrared light within the particular infrared band, and wherein the first plurality and the second plurality of photodetectors of the first optical sensor and the first plurality and the second plurality of photodetectors of the second optical sensor alternate along both rows and columns to form a checkerboard pattern;

identifying, by the computing device, first corresponding features of the environment between the first visible light image and the second visible light image;

identifying, by the computing device, second corresponding features of the environment between the first infrared light image and the second infrared light image; and

determining, by the computing device, a depth estimate for at least one surface in the environment based on the first corresponding features and the second corresponding features.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the depth estimate for at least one surface in the environment comprises:

determining a first depth estimate of at least one surface in the environment based on the first corresponding features;

determining a second depth estimate of at least one surface in the environment based on the second corresponding features; and

determining, as the depth estimate, a combined depth estimate of at least one surface based on the first depth estimate and the second depth estimate.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

causing a texture projector to project a predetermined texture pattern onto the environment, wherein the predetermined texture pattern is infrared light of a wavelength within the particular infrared band.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the second depth estimate comprises:

determining a first position of a particular surface in the environment in the first infrared light image;

determining a second position of the particular surface in the environment in the second infrared light image; and

determining, using triangulation, the second depth estimate based on the first position, the second position, and a position of the first optical sensor with respect to a position of the second optical sensor.