METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GENERATING A TWO-DIMENSIONAL AND A THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE STREAM

Methods, systems, and techniques for generating two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) images and image streams. The images and image streams may be generated using active stereo cameras projecting at least one illumination pattern, or by using a structured light camera and a pair of different illumination patterns of which at least one is a structured light illumination pattern. When using an active stereo camera, a 3D image may be generated by performing a stereoscopic combination of a first set of images (depicting a first illumination pattern) and a 2D image may be generated using a second set of images (optionally depicting a second illumination pattern). When using a structured light camera, a 3D image may be generated based on a first image that depicts a structured light illumination pattern, and a 2D image may be generated from the first image and a second image that depicts a different illumination pattern.