Just got my January SERVO column (I did a review of the Soundgin -- check it out!) and noticed Robin Heweitt contributed a piece on the Intel OpenCV computer vision library. Robin is one of the members of the San Diego Robotics Society and has often demonstrated her robot vision software. She does some amazing stuff that, I am sure in just a few years time, will basically eliminate the need of using things like sonar and IR sensors to "see" things. Her robot recognizes faces, detects outlines such as door shapes, furniture, and so forth, can drive to a particular spot on the floor, and more.
Anyway, if you're interested in robot vision systems for Windows, Linux, or Mac, be sure to get this month's issue4 of SERVO. And be sure to check out the OpenCV Wiki:
-- Gordon