Versatile 3D Machine Vision Technology

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has developed a method for the rapid recognition and location of surface shapes in range images. This method can be used for face recognition, munitions identification, and to train robots to 'see.' Unlike other image-based methods, the NRL approach is completely insensitive to variation in lighting or viewpoint and is extremely time-efficient. The patented NRL technique uses 'tripod operators,' which extract sample points from a range image in order to recognize the underlying surface shape. Coupled with a suitable range imaging scanner, such as the patented NRL Correlation Scanner, this technique enables the automation of many tasks previously relegated to human labor. The system has been demonstrated for use in automated assembly for manufacturing and in support of spacecraft docking maneuvers.

Transcript

00:00:07 researchers at the naval research laboratory or NRL have made advances in Computing and Imaging Technologies that are enabling lowcost robust three-dimensional robot guidance over the years NRL has developed a variety of Novel range Imaging scanners for the purpose of enabling 3D computer vision nrl's correlation code triangulation range

00:00:31 Imaging scanner can produce a submillimeter accuracy range image fast accurately and at low cost because of its simple design it uses a mass consisting of Stripes according to a debruin sequence and it has a central light source that rotates slowly while camera images are taken on the side resulting in an accurate range image a different system developed by

00:00:56 NRL is called tripod operators this system uses a range image from the NRL range scanner or any significantly accurate range imager and very rapidly recognizes a known object in any pose even in a highly cluttered scene the pose of an object can be determined in six degrees of freedom in the first example tripod operators are rapidly searching a range image for one of 25

00:01:24 known shapes in this case a Taurus with particular radi black indicates that the shap shape has not yet been found and green indicates that it has now we see tripod operators finding a plain bottomed hole of a particular diameter note that more placements are required to find this smaller shape finally we see tripod operators finding a hemispheric cap cylinder of a

00:01:50 particular diameter only a few milliseconds are usually required to find a shape this NRL technology can enable a wide variety of new applications including cluding robot guidance automated inspection and assembly construction space rendevu and capture Target recognition and others in this manufacturing plant a worker risks injury handling heavy

00:02:15 Automotive Parts here a robot reliably and precisely manipulates the same Parts guided only by tripod operator software interpreting lar images of the workspace tripod operator shown in red are shown rapidly probing an image until a part is located indicated by Green here tripod operators are used to automatically train on an unmodeled spacecraft using stereo images then the

00:02:45 approaching vehicle uses tripod operators to estimate their relative pose enabling automated approach and docking