Project Title:
Fast Three-Dimensional Imaging
05.01-2407
910097
Fast Three-Dimensional Imaging
Intelligent Automation, Inc.
1370 Piccard Drive, Suite 210
Rockville
MD
20850
Leonard S.
Haynes
301-990-2407
MSFC
NAS8-39325
077
05.01-2407
910097
Abstract:
Fast Three-Dimensional Imaging
Today's robots use cameras to capture images of the objects to be manipulated by
the robots, and attempt to use that image data to learn the exact position of parts,
identify problems, inspect parts, detect proximity, and perform other tasks. One
of the factors that limits the use of machine vision in manufacturing environments
is that camera images are two-dimensional, and the objects to be manipulated are
three-dimensional. Three-dimensional information is essential in most realistic applications;
hence numerous techniques have been tried to generate depth information from two-dimensional
camera images. None of these techniques are acceptable for factory application because
they are slow, costly, unusable where objects are specular, and\or inaccurate. This
project addresses how to implement a "smart camera" that will generate a full-range
map of a manufacturing scene in real time with virtually no computation required.
The same camera will also continue to function as a normal intensity-based camera
and can be switched from intensity to range mode by switching a single binary line.
This new type of camera is named the FAST 3-D Imaging Camera (F3DI).
F3DI will provide an entirely new capability not possible with any other technology
at any cost. There are obvious applications for robotics, in situations in which
a robot uses visual information for sensory feedback, and for automatically guided
vehicles.
range image, Fast 3D Imaging, F3DI, depth perception, robot visions