You are currently on the new version of our website. Access the old version .
SensorsSensors
  • This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
  • Article
  • Open Access

23 January 2026

Wand-Based Calibration Accuracy for Unsynchronized Multicamera Systems Without Timestamps

Faculty of Human Health, Kurume University, 1635 Miichou, Kurume 839-0851, Fukuoka, Japan
Sensors2026, 26(3), 777;https://doi.org/10.3390/s26030777 
(registering DOI)
This article belongs to the Section Sensing and Imaging

Abstract

Motion capture experiments can be conducted more easily if marker-based motion (marker-based MoCap) can be captured using an asynchronous multicamera system (Async MCS). However, camera calibration is essential for marker-based MoCap, and a wand calibration method that utilizes timestamp functions has been proposed for Async MCS. However, in practice, many cameras do not provide accurate timestamp functions, limiting the applicability of existing methods in such environments. A wand calibration method for Async MCS that does not rely on timestamp functions is proposed to evaluate the accuracy of estimated camera parameters. In conventional methods, the time offset in image acquisition is obtained from timestamp information, and synchronous coordinates are estimated by interpolating time-series digitized coordinates of wand markers. In this study, the time offset is treated as an optimization variable, which enables camera parameter estimation without using timestamp functions. Consequently, the three-dimensional reconstruction errors of fixed points obtained using the proposed method are significantly smaller (1.445 ± 0.833 and 1.746 ± 0.908 mm) compared to estimations that ignore time offsets. These findings demonstrate that the proposed method enables more accurate camera calibration.

Article Metrics

Citations

Article Access Statistics

Article metric data becomes available approximately 24 hours after publication online.