Chris McCarthy PhD

Phone: +61 (0)3 9667 7511 (at Bionics Institute)     Email: chris.mccarthy[at]nicta.com.au

Senior Research Engineer Computer Vision Research Group NICTA Canberra Research Laboratory

Research Fellow (Adjunct) Research School of Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science Australian National University

My research interests are in vision for navigation (for both robotics and human assistance), and more broadly in the development and application of computational models of biological vision.

I am a member of NICTA's Vision Processing for the Bionic Eye team, which forms part of Bionic Vision Australia (BVA); a consortium of Australian research labs and clinicians seeking to develop a retinal implant for the blind. I am working on computer vision algorithms for potential use on a visual prosthesis, and for use in other technologies to assist the visually impaired. I also retain interest in the development of bio-inspired techniques for vision-guided robot navigation and threat avoidance.

Qualifications

Active research areas

My primary focus in recent years has been on the application of computer vision to bionic vision, as part of Bionic Vision Australia. In particular, vision algorithms to support navigation with low resolution/dynamic-range prosthetic vision and low vision devices. I am also interested in scene understanding algorithms to support adaptive visual representations for prosthetic vision. I am also interested in bio-inspired vision algorithms for navigation; in particular, how optical quantities from optical flow (and stereo images) can be robustly computed and utilised to support autonomous robot navigation, provide better mobility assistance for the visually impaired, and contribute to our understanding of biological vision and it's role in navigation.

Prospective students

I am always interested to hear from prospective students. My research most often involves a fairly balanced mix of theory and empirical investigation - I work best with like-minded people. Sound technical programming skills are important. Experience with image processing/computer vision a big plus. People with a solid biological vision/neural modelling background are also welcome. Most importantly: evidence of high motivation to explore problems relevant to my interest areas. You don't need to be an expert, but show me that you're genuinely interested. Enthusiasm goes a long way!

If I haven't scared you away yet, then please do send me an email. After that, you can apply via the ANU. PhD entry and scholarship applications are lodged together. International students must apply before August 31st. Domestic students before October 31st.

Publications

Theses

• "Visual contact estimation",
    by C. McCarthy (advisors: Assoc Prof Nick Barnes, Prof Mandyam Srinivasan, Prof Giulio Sandini).
    PhD Thesis (Australian National University), July 2010;   PDF.
• "Performance of optical flow techniques for robot navigation"
    by C. McCarthy (advisor: Assoc Prof Nick Barnes).
    MSc Thesis (The University of Melbourne), Feb 2005;

Full papers

• "Mobility and low contrast trip hazard avoidance using augmented depth", (in press)
    by C.McCarthy, J G. Walker, P. Lieby, A. Scott and N. Barnes.
    Journal of Neural Engineering, accepted for publication, 2014
  

• "Improved visual performance in letter perception through edge orientation encoding in a retinal prosthesis simulation", (in press)
    by F. Kiral-Kornek, E. O'Sullivan-Greene, C. Savage, C. McCarthy, D. Grayden and A. Burkitt.
    Journal of Neural Engineering, accepted for publication, 2014
  

• "Importance weighted image enhancement for prosthetic vision: an augmentation framework"
    by C. McCarthy and N. Barnes.
    Proceedings of the International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (ISMAR 2014)
    Munich, Germany, 2014 oral (PDF)

• "Augmenting intensity to enhance scene structure in prosthetic vision",
    by C. McCarthy, D. Feng and N. Barnes.
    Proceedings of the IEEE Workshop on Multi-Modal and Alternative Perception for Visually Impaired People (MAP4VIP 2013),
    San Jose, USA, 2013 (PDF)
  Received best paper award

• "Enhancing scene structure in prosthetic vision using iso-disparity contour perturbance maps",
    by D. Feng and C. McCarthy.
    Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Engineering in Medicine and Biology (EMBC 2013),   Osaka, Japan, 2013 (PDF)

• "A unified strategy for landing and docking using spherical flow divergence";
    by C. McCarthy and N. Barnes.
    IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (PAMI), Volume 34(5) May 2012. (PDF)
  Supplementary video and image sequences

• "Time-to-contact maps for navigation with a low resolution visual prosthesis",
    by C. McCarthy and N. Barnes.
    Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Engineering in Medicine and Biology (EMBC 2012), San Diego, USA, 2012 (PDF)

• "On Just Noticeable Difference for Bionic Eye",
    by Y. Li, C. McCarthy and N. Barnes.
    Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Engineering in Medicine and Biology (EMBC 2012), San Diego, USA, 2012

• "Image Segmentation for Enhancing Symbol Recognition in Prosthetic Vision",
    by L. Horne, X. He, C. McCarthy and N. Barnes.
    Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Engineering in Medicine and Biology (EMBC 2012), San Diego, USA, 2012 (PDF)

• "The role of vision processing in prosthetic vision",
    by N. Barnes, X. He, C. McCarthy and L. Horne.
    Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Engineering in Medicine and Biology (EMBC 2012), San Diego, USA, 2012

• "Ground surface segmentation for navigation with a low resolution visual prosthesis",
    by C. McCarthy, P. Lieby and N. Barnes.
    Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Engineering in Medicine and Biology (EMBC 2011), Boston, USA, 2011 (PDF)

• "Substituting depth for intensity and real-time phosphene rendering: Visu al navigation under low vision conditions",
    by P. Lieby, N. Barnes, C. McCarthy, Nianjun Liu, H. Dennett, J G. Walker, V. Botea and A. Scott.
    Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Engineering in Medicine and Biol ogy (EMBC 2011), Boston, USA, 2011. (PDF)

• "Biologically-inspired time and location of impact prediction from optical flow",
    by C. McCarthy and G. Metta.
    Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2011), Shanghai, China, 2011. (PDF)
• "Surface extraction from iso-disparity contours",
    by C. McCarthy and N. Barnes,
    Proceedings of the 2010 Asian Conference on Computer Vision (ACCV 2010), Queesntown, New Zealand, 2010 (PDF).
• "A robust docking strategy for a mobile robot using flow field divergence",
    by C. McCarthy, N. Barnes and R. Mahony.
    IEEE Transaction on Robotics, Volume 24(4), 2008;   PDF.
• "Towards a Hazard Perception Assistance System using Visual Motion",
    by C. McCarthy, N. Barnes, K. Anstey and M. Horswill.
    ECCV Workshop on Computer Vision Applications for the Visually Impaired (CVAVI 08). Marseille, France, Oct. 18, 2008.   PDF.
• "Real time biologically-inspired depth maps from spherical flow",
    by C. McCarthy, N. Barnes and M.V. Srinivasan.
    Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2007), Rome, Italy, 2007.   PDF.
• "Insect Inspired Robots",
    by J. Lim, C. McCarthy, D. Shaw, N. Barnes and L. Cole.
    Proceedings of the 2006 Australiasian Conference on Robotics and Automation (ACRA2006), Auckland, New Zealand, 2006.   PDF.
•  "A robust docking strategy for a mobile robot using flow field divergence",
    by C. McCarthy and N. Barnes.
    Proceedings of IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2006), Beijing, China, 2006.   PDF.
• "Comparison of temporal filters for optical flow estimation in continuous mobile robot navigation",
    by C. McCarthy and N. Barnes.
    Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics: Experimental Robotics IX: The 9th International Symposium on Experimental Robotics (Singapore 2004), Volume 21, pp 481-90, 2006.   PDF.
    Received "International Foundation of Robotics Research Student Fellowship Award" .
• "Performance of optical flow techniques for indoor navigation with a mobile robot",
    by C. McCarthy and N. Barnes.
    Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA2004), pp 5093-5098, New Orleans, USA, 2004.   PDF.
• "Performance of temporal filters for optical flow estimation in mobile robot corridor centring and visual odometry",
    by C. McCarthy and N. Barnes.
    Proceedings of the 2003 Australasian Conference on Robotics and Automation. Brisbane, Australia, 2003.   PDF.

Conference abstracts

• "A bi-modal visual representation can enhance orientation and mobility performance with less than 20 phosphenes",
    by D. Feng, J. Walker, N. Barnes and C. McCarthy,
    Proceedings of the Association for Research in Vision and Opthamalmology annual meeting (ARVO 2014), Orlando, FL USA, 2014.
  
  
• "Preliminary results of the Bionic Vision Australia suprachoroidal visual prosthesis pilot trial,
    by L. Ayton, P. Blamey, N. Sinclair, M. Shivdasani, M. Petoe, C. McCarthy, N. Barnes, P. Allen, C. Luu and R. Guymer,
    Proceedings of the Association for Research in Vision and Opthamalmology annual meeting (ARVO 2014), Orlando, FL USA, 2014.
  ,
  
• "Lanczos2 Image Filtering Improves Performance on Low Vision Tests in Implanted Visual Prosthetic Patients",
    by N. Barnes, A. Scott, A. Stacey, P. Lieby, C. McCarthy, M. Petoe, L. Ayton, M. Shivdasani, N. Sinclair, and J. Walker
    Proceedings of the Association for Research in Vision and Opthamalmology annual meeting (ARVO 2014), Orlando, FL USA, 2014.
  
  
• "Vision processing strategies for safe and efficient navigation with a retinal prosthesis",
    by C. McCarthy, D. Feng, J G. Walker, P. Lieby, A F. Scott and N. Barnes,
    Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Medical Bionics, 2013, Philip Island, Vic Australia, 2013. (accepted for oral presentation)


• "Low contrast trip hazard avoidance with simulated prosthetic vision",
    by C. McCarthy, P. Lieby, J G. Walker, A F. Scott, V. Botea and N. Barnes,
    Proceedings of the Association for Research in Vision and Opthamalmology annual meeting (ARVO 2012), Fort Lauderdale, FL USA, 2012. (oral presentation)
• "Evaluating Depth-based Visual Representations For Mobility In Simulated Prosthetic Vision",
    by N. Barnes, P. Lieby, J G. Walker, C. McCarthy, V. Botea and A F. Scott,
    Proceedings of the Association for Research in Vision and Opthamalmology annual meeting (ARVO 2012), Fort Lauderdale, FL USA, 2012.
• "Mobility Experiments Using Simulated Prosthetic Vision With 98 Phosphenes Of Limited Dynamic Range",
    by P. Lieby, J G. Walker, C. McCarthy, A F. Scott and V. Botea,
    Proceedings of the Association for Research in Vision and Opthamalmology annual meeting (ARVO 2012), Fort Lauderdale, FL USA, 2012.
• "Mobility Experiments with simulated vision and sensory substitution of depth",
    by N. Barnes, P. Lieby, H. Dennet, C. McCarthy, N. Liu, J G. Walker,
    Proceedings of the Association for Research in Vision and Opthamalmology annual meeting (ARVO 2011), Fort Lauderdale, FL USA, 2011.
• "Investigating the role of single-viewpoint depth data in visually-guided mobility",
    by N. Barnes, P. Lieby, H. Dennet, J G. Walker, C. McCarthy, N. Liu, Y. Li.
    Proceedings of the Vision Science Society annual meeting (VSS 2011), Naples, FL USA, 2011.

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Sample Video Demonstrations

• The "belco kitchen" sequence (MPG). Video demonstrates the estimation of egomotion direction using the Nelson and Aloimonos (1988 Bio Cybernetics) de-rotation algorithm. Blue and yellow flow vectors signify direction of flow on the circle (CW or CCW).
  [McCarthy et al, ICRA 2007].
• Docking using time-to-contact estimation from flow field divergence(WMV). Video shows three temporal filters used with Lucas and Kanade's gradient-based flow algorithm.
  [ McCarthy and Barnes, ISER 2004, IROS 2006].

• Centring and Docking comparisons(MPG). Temporal filter comparisons in corridor centring and flow divergence based docking trials.
  [McCarthy and Barnes, ICRA 2004].

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Past Projects

• Performance of Optical Flow Techniques for Mobile Robot Navigation: My Masters thesis compared optical flow techniques for mobile robot navigation. While comparisons have been done previously, these have not adequately addressed the specific issues associated with embedding such techniques in the control loop of a real-time system (like a robot). This needs to be addressed if this paradigm of robot navigation is to gain more attention from main stream mobile robot reseacrh. We seek to provide a systematic basis on which to choose an optical flow technique, which previously did not exist.

• Robocup: Click here to read about the RoboCup project. I have been involved with the Dog leauge (which uses the Sony Aibo robots shown below) since 2001 as a co-supervisor and general team adviser and have also assisted with software development. In 2002, our team came 4th in the world in Fukuoka, Japan.

• Web Based Telerobot: My honours project, completed in June 1999, was to develop a telerobotic control and monitoring system on the WWW. The robot had a radio link with a local PC that performed all local navigation. This system also communicated with a remotely run applet which displayed images from an overhead camera and a GUI for different modes of control (Direct or Supervisory).

Professional Society Memberships

• Robotics and Automation Society (IEEE_RAS).
• Australian Robotics and Automation Association.

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Last Updated: May, 2011