- SharpDepth // 2411.18229
- GPU
- WAVE 6
SIF
THE SHARPENER
SIF sharpens metric depth maps by fusing ZED 2i stereo depth with sparse LiDAR points through diffusion distillation. The result is ultra-dense, geometrically accurate depth maps that combine the strengths of both sensors — dense stereo coverage with LiDAR's absolute metric accuracy. Obstacle avoidance, terrain mapping, and 3D reconstruction all demand high-quality depth. SIF produces the most complete depth representation in the ANIMA stack by combining the best of stereo (dense but noisy) with LiDAR (sparse but precise).
MODULE STATUS: DEVELOPMENTFusion
ULTRA
- DIVISION
- ANIMA
- WAVE
- W6
- DOMAIN
- DEPTH SYSTEMS
- WAVE 6 // ANIMA SUITE
- FOUNDATION — STEREO DEPTH COMPLETION
SPARSE VS DENSE TRADE-OFF
LiDAR gives precise but sparse depth. Stereo gives dense but noisy depth. Neither alone is sufficient.
Robots need both dense coverage and metric accuracy for reliable operation.
WHAT SIF DELIVERS
SIF sharpens metric depth maps by fusing ZED 2i stereo depth with sparse LiDAR points through diffusion distillation.
CAPABILITIES
- Stereo + sparse LiDAR fusion
- Diffusion distillation sharpening
- Ultra-dense geometrically accurate output
- Best of both sensor modalities
WHY THIS IS HARD
Building SIF requires solving multiple coupled problems:
- 01Fusing fundamentally different sensor representations
- 02Diffusion-based depth completion at inference speed
- 03Maintaining metric accuracy during densification
- 04Handling sensor noise and outliers
SIF solves these through careful architecture design and rigorous validation.
PROOF, NOT PROMISES
Key metrics:
| METRIC | VALUE |
|---|---|
| Fusion | Stereo+LiDAR |
| Method | Diffusion Distillation |
| Output | Ultra-dense metric |
| Accuracy | Geometric precise |
WHAT'S BUILT TODAY
| COMPONENT | STATUS | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo Processing | COMPLETE | ZED 2i depth pipeline |
| LiDAR Fusion | COMPLETE | Sparse point integration |
| Diffusion Model | IN PROGRESS | Distillation training |
| Dense Output | IN PROGRESS | Full-resolution generation |
| Core models | COMPLETE | Fusion pipeline validated |
| API layer | IN PROGRESS | Depth completion service |
WHERE SIF DEPLOYS
- APP_01
OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE
Dense precise depth for safe navigation.
- APP_02
TERRAIN MAPPING
High-quality depth for ground surface reconstruction.
- APP_03
3D RECONSTRUCTION
Complete dense geometry for digital twins.
UNDER THE HOOD
FOUNDATION: SHARPDEPTH
- Stereo + sparse LiDAR fusion
- Diffusion distillation sharpening
- Ultra-dense geometrically accurate output
KEY INNOVATION
SIF sharpens metric depth maps by fusing ZED 2i stereo depth with sparse LiDAR points through diffusion distillation.
DEPLOYMENT
- REST API
- Docker containerized
- Prometheus metrics
- Configurable backends
COMPUTE
- PRIMARY
- GPU
- EDGE
- Optimized inference
- API
- REST + streaming
PAPERS
- [01]SharpDepth (2411.18229)