3852results about "Angle measurement" patented technology

A lidar-based 3-D point cloud measuring system and method. An example system includes a base, a housing, a plurality of photon transmitters and photon detectors contained within the housing, a rotary motor that rotates the housing about the base, and a communication component that allows transmission of signals generated by the photon detectors to external components. The rotary component includes a rotary power coupling configured to provide power from an external source to the rotary motor, the photon transmitters, and the photon detectors. In another embodiment, the photon transmitters and detectors of each pair are held in a fixed relationship with each other. In yet another embodiment, a single detector is “shared” among several lasers by focusing several detection regions onto a single detector, or by using a single, large detector.

A system and methods for transprojection of geometry data acquired by a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). The CMM acquires geometry data corresponding to 3D coordinate measurements collected by a measuring probe that are transformed into scaled 2D data that is transprojected upon various digital object image views captured by a camera. The transprojection process can utilize stored image and coordinate information or perform live transprojection viewing capabilities in both still image and video modes.

The present invention provides for methods and apparatus for locating a capillary channel that is disposed within a lab chip. The method provides for scanning the channel with a light source, monitoring the resulting light at the edges of the lab chip, and interpreting this information whereby the light detected at the edges of the lab chip can be used as a means for characterizing the location of the side walls of the channel within the lab chip. The apparatus provides for a carriage system to which a light source and the lab chip are attached. It also provides for one or more scatter detectors directed towards the edges of the chip and connected to a computer processor for purposes of analysis.

The invention is generally related to the estimation of position and orientation of an object with respect to a local or a global coordinate system using reflected light sources. A typical application of the method and apparatus includes estimation and tracking of the position of a mobile autonomous robot. Other applications include estimation and tracking of an object for position-aware, ubiquitous devices. Additional applications include tracking of the positions of people or pets in an indoor environment. The methods and apparatus comprise one or more optical emitters, one or more optical sensors, signal processing circuitry, and signal processing methods to determine the position and orientation of at least one of the optical sensors based at least in part on the detection of the signal of one or more emitted light sources reflected from a surface.

An apparatus and method employing principles of stereo vision for determining one or more orientation parameters and especially the second and third Euler angles θ, ψ of an elongate object whose tip is contacting a surface at a contact point. The apparatus has a projector mounted on the elongate object for illuminating the surface with a probe radiation in a known pattern from a first point of view and a detector mounted on the elongate object for detecting a scattered portion of the probe radiation returning from the surface to the elongate object from a second point of view. The orientation parameters are determined from a difference between the projected and detected probe radiation such as the difference between the shape of the feature produced by the projected probe radiation and the shape of the feature detected by the detector. The pattern of probe radiation is chosen to provide information for determination of the one or more orientation parameters and can include asymmetric patterns such as lines, ellipses, rectangles, polygons or the symmetric cases including circles, squares and regular polygons. To produce the patterns the projector can use a scanning arrangement or a structured light optic such as a holographic, diffractive, refractive or reflective element and any combinations thereof. The apparatus is suitable for determining the orientation of a jotting implement such as a pen, pencil or stylus.

An apparatus and method for determining an inclination angle θ between an axis of an elongate object such as a cane, a pointer or a jotting implement such as a pen, pencil, stylus or the like and a normal to a plane surface at times when a tip of the elongate object is contacting that plane surface. The apparatus has an emitter mounted on the object for illuminating the plane surface with a probe radiation at an angle σ with respect to the axis of the object. The apparatus also has a detector mounted on the elongate object for detecting a radiation characteristic of a scattered portion of the probe radiation returning from the plane surface and a computing unit for deriving the inclination angle θ from the radiation characteristic. A scanning arrangement, such as a uniaxial or biaxial scanner, or a light guiding optic can be used for varying angle σ, and the probe radiation can be emitted in the form of a scan beam. Preferably, the emitter and detector of the scattered portion of the probe radiation are integrated and the scattered portion of the probe radiation whose characteristic is being measured is the back-scattered portion. The radiation characteristic detected by the detector can be the intensity, polarization, time-of-flight or any combination thereof.

A measurement system for determining six degrees of freedom (α, β, d, φ, χ, ψ) of a reflector (2) or of an object (3) on which the reflector is arranged, comprises an angle- and distance measurement apparatus (1), e.g. a laser tracker, operating with a laser beam as a measurement beam (4). The reflector (2) is designed for a parallel reflection of the measurement beam (4) and has an apical opening or surface (6), in a manner such that a part of the measurement beam (4) directed onto the reflector (2), passes through the apical opening or surface (6), and is incident on a light-sensitive surface (7) arranged behind the reflector apex. Five degrees of freedom (α, β, d, φ, χ) of the reflector (2) or the object (3) are computed from measurement data produced by the angle- and distance measurement apparatus (1) and by the light-sensitive surface (7).

An embodiment relates generally a method of generating user-specified information. The method includes selecting a plurality of points on a map, where the plurality of points forms a closed polygon. The method also includes determining a plurality of coordinate pairs, where each coordinate pair is associated with a point from the plurality of points. The method also includes retrieving user specified information for an area enclosed by the plurality of coordinate pairs.

An elongate object optically determines at least one of its orientation parameters relative to a plane surface. A probe radiation beam is directed from the object at various angles σ to various locations on the plane, where the angle σ is a periodic function of time. Two angularly-selective radiation detectors oriented at fixed angles τ1 and τ2 sense scattered portions of the beam from two locations at two corresponding times. The orientation parameter is computed from a time difference Δt=t2−t1 between the two times.