Abstract: In one aspect, a system for controlling the focus of a lens is disclosed. The system may generally include a sensor configured to detect changes in a focal distance of the lens and a thermal device configured to adjust a lens temperature of the lens. In addition, the system may include one or more computing devices communicatively coupled to the sensor and the thermal device. The computing device(s) may be configured to control the thermal device such that the lens temperature is adjusted in a manner that reduces variations in the focal distance.

Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for minimizing parallax based on depth map generation are described herein. Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to cameras positioned on a camera assembly that capture digital photographic images. The digital photographic images are stitched together into a panoramic image. In order to minimize the parallax while stitching, the procedure includes estimating a distance of a pixel corresponding to a scene point on the scene surface from a panoramic center of projection positioned on the camera assembly to the scene surface. A depth map is generated that provides the estimated depth of the pixel. Based on the estimated depth, the pixel may be projected onto each camera. A panoramic pixel corresponding to the scene point may be obtained from the values of each projected pixel. The panoramic pixel may then be mapped onto the panoramic image with parallax minimized.