Photo by Steven Thomas, GTRI
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3D Imaging Technology
The 3D imaging and sensing technologies project focused primarily
on providing imaging design support for three ongoing systems development
projects. Specific projects and activities included sensing for a prototype
device to perform the rehang task after the chiller; the use of a correlated
visible and structured light imaging system to extract both 3D and
surface information for quality and process control; and the development
of a sensing approach to guide the determination of trajectories for
guiding cutting operations.
In each of these areas, the research team
demonstrated the capabilities of these systems to conduct the needed
operations. In the area of rehang, the team was able to integrate
a system using a robot to load a processing line. This system employed
previously developed software and hardware to detect each carcass
and
identify its position and orientation, allowing for proper grasping
by the robot.
Researchers also integrated a system using strobed LED
lighting along with a laser light bar to generate a visible image
and its corresponding
depth map. This is useful for a variety of portion control and related
quality control and production operations. The team also developed
an image-based approach for defining the cutting trajectories by
extrapolating from external data the location of significant internal
points for
efficient cutting.
These activities lay the groundwork for creating
production systems that address the robustness and flexibility needs
of many current and future industry automation issues. |
