Equirectangular Projection

Equirectangular projection (ERP) is a common method for representing 360° images as 2D planar images, but its inherent distortion poses significant challenges for computer vision tasks. Current research focuses on mitigating these distortions through techniques like multi-projection fusion (combining ERP with other projections like cubemaps or icosahedron projections), distortion-aware convolutional and transformer networks, and novel convolution kernels designed for spherical data. These advancements aim to improve the accuracy and efficiency of various applications, including depth estimation, semantic segmentation, and salient object detection in panoramic imagery. The resulting improvements in processing 360° images have significant implications for virtual reality, robotics, and autonomous navigation.