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How does a stereo camera measure distance? Disparity, depth calculation, and calibration accuracy: where is the key step?

Stereo distance measurement calculates depth from disparity using Z=f×B/d, showing near-accurate, far-sparse characteristics: a longer baseline is better suited for long distances, and a longer focal length gives higher depth resolution. Stereo calibration consists of two steps: monocular intrinsic calibration and stereo extrinsic calibration. Extrinsic angle error is the main source of amplified error at long distances, and calibration accuracy largely determines the system's accuracy ceiling. Calibration targets should be selected by scenario: standard glass checkerboards for routine industrial inspection, dot calibration boards for high-precision micro-assembly, large-size calibration boards for large-field outdoor use, and ChArUco or AprilTag for dynamic workstations.

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