Time-of-Flight (ToF) depth cameras don't measure the color of an object, but rather its distance to the camera. The principle behind it is elegant: the camera emits light that is reflected by the object – and from the time it takes to return, the distance can be calculated. In practice, however, it's not quite that simple. Reflections, movement during capture, and other influences can distort the result. To correct such errors, we first need to understand them.

At the edges of objects, so-called "flying pixels" frequently appear – data points (visible in Image 1) that cannot be assigned to any real surface and therefore distort the image. If the camera moves during capture, the recorded object becomes distorted (Image 2). Vibrations amplify this effect further and can considerably worsen the distortions (Image 3).