Abstract: A miniaturized active dual pixel stereo system and method for close range depth extraction includes a projector adapted to project a locally distinct projected pattern onto an image of a scene and a dual pixel sensor including a dual pixel sensor array that generates respective displaced images of the scene. A three-dimensional image is generated from the displaced images of the scene by projecting the locally distinct projected pattern onto the image of the scene, capturing the respective displaced images of the scene using the dual pixel sensor, generating disparity images from the respective displaced images of the scene, determining depth to each pixel of the disparity images, and generating the three-dimensional image from the determined depth to each pixel. A three-dimensional image of a user's hands generated by the active dual pixel stereo system may be processed by gesture recognition software to provide an input to an electronic eyewear device.