The Robot Eyes project within the Loughborough University’s Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering has seen the creation of a bespoke micro-structured optical element that, when coupled with a high-speed projector and camera, allows robots to capture the 3D shape of moving objects one hundred times faster than current commercial systems.
The advance is said to allow structured light patterns to be projected onto objects at very high frame rates enabling billions of 3D coordinates to be captured per second. This 3D data is displayed in real-time using GPU accelerated software.
The development could see changes in the way robot-assisted surgeries are carried out, whilst also providing more efficient methods for automation of manufacturing and recycling processes.
In a statement, senior research associate in Optical Metrology, Dr Russ Coggrave, said: “Our systems are based on the principle of projecting structured light onto the object surface, with the surface profile distorting those patterns. The images we then capture from those distorted patterns allow us to decode and extract the 3D shape of the surface.
“The technique is well-established and widely used across industrial metrology. However, existing systems are relatively slow so only help when an object is static or slow-moving. The new technology that we’ve been working on allows us to increase the acquisition rate, capturing almost a hundred million coordinates per second – which is almost a hundred times faster than existing systems. That change in speed now allows us to measure fully moving objects, giving us the opportunity to overcome current robotic and engineering challenges.”
Professor of Applied Optics and Photonics, Pablo Ruiz, said: “Currently, in robotic assisted surgery, the surgeon can use different mechanisms to the give the robot the necessary feedback. However, if you could imagine a robot that has this 3D vision, that would give it an awareness and understanding of where the beating heart is and guide the position of the scalpel or tool to the shape of the heart.”
Dr Coggrave added the development could also provide a more efficient method in the disposal and recycling of electric car batteries.
“One of the challenges with electric car batteries is what we do with them at the end of their life – for instance, are we able to recycle the materials and bring them back into the production line?” he said. “Currently, the process is not as efficient as it could be as the robot fails to adapt accordingly to the changing shape and structure of the battery as it’s being disassembled. Non-rigid components such as cables, springs, covers and insulation can deform in unexpected ways during disassembly, and this is a significant challenge for existing automated solutions.
“However, introducing this new 3D, high speed vision system will allow the robot to react in real time to changes in the assembly by providing the machine with closed loop feedback.”
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