Localization and Registration of Three-Dimensional Objects in Space-Where are the Limits?

We discuss the accuracy limits for the localization of surfaces in three-dimensional (3-D) space. Such a localization is necessary for the registration of different views of an object, taken by 3-D sensors from several directions. A quantitative analysis shows that the lateral localization accuracy of a small surface area is proportional to the local curvature of the surface. This confirms the intuitive conjecture that our visual system performs localization of 3-D objects via sharp features. The longitudinal localization accuracy depends only on the noise of the data and is usually much better than the lateral localization accuracy, suggesting that surfaces are to be registered only along the longitudinal directions.     

Generation of three-dimensional integral images from a holographic pattern of 3-D objects

We present a novel approach for generating three-dimensional (3-D) integral images from a fringe pattern of 3-D objects. A recorded hologram of 3-D objects is segmented into a number of subholograms. Then, different views of 3-D objects are reconstructed from them because each subhologram has its own perspective of 3-D objects in the recording process. These locally reconstructed images can be rearranged as the same subimage array of the conventional integral-imaging system and transformed into virtually picked-up elemental images of 3-D objects. From this newly generated elemental image array, 3-D images could easily be reconstructed by using a white light. Experiments with a 3-D test object have been performed and the results have been presented.     

Sculptured surface tolerance verification with design datums

Sculptured or free-form surfaces are widely used in many fields with extensive applications. Once such surfaces are manufactured, surface inspection compares the manufactured surfaces with the surface design specifications to verify conformance. Although significant research and development efforts have been devoted to the design and manufacturing of products consisting of partial or sole free-form surfaces, the inspection of these surfaces is still a difficult task. For many engineering applications, a free-form surface is assigned a profile tolerance with reference to design datums for assembly, functionality and other manufacturing requirements. The paper discusses developments of surface inspection techniques for profile tolerance of free-form surfaces. The concept of datum direction frame is proposed to find the transformation information that localizes measurement data to design model. The technique consists of two major steps: localization of measurement data to the design system, based on the datum reference information; and further localization based on the information from free-form surfaces. Testing examples were carried out to validate the developed techniques. The new method does not need corresponding points from the datums of the design model and measured surfaces. Therefore, it is simpler, yet more robust. It can also be used conveniently in manufacturing processes.     

Automatic sampling for CMM inspection planning of free-form surfaces

Coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) are used to examine the conformity of the produced parts with the designer's intent. The inspection of free-form surfaces is a difficult process due to their complexity and irregularity. Many tasks are performed to ensure a reliable and efficient inspection using CMMs. Sampling is an essential and vital step in inspection planning. Efficient and reliable approaches to determine the locations of the points to be sampled from free-form surfaces using the CMM were developed. Four heuristic algorithms for sampling based on the NURBS features of free-form surfaces are presented. The sampling criteria are equiparametric, surface patch size and the surface patch mean curvature. An algorithm for automatic selection of sampling algorithms performs complexity checks on NURBS surfaces, including the surface curvature changes and surface patch size changes, and selects the suitable sampling algorithm. Extensive simulations were performed using the developed methodologies to evaluate their performance using free-form surfaces with different degrees of complexity and compared with the uniform sampling pattern. The CMM measurement errors and manufacturing form errors have been simulated in these studies. The developed algorithms provide a useful tool in selecting the effective sampling plans for the tactile CMM inspection planning of free-form surfaces.     

Automatic multiscale meshing through HRBF networks

A procedure for the real-time construction of three-dimensional (3-D) multiscale meshes from not evenly sampled 3-D points is described and discussed in this paper. The process is based on the connectionist model named hierarchical radial basis functions network (HRBF), which has been proved effective in the reconstruction of smooth surfaces from sparse noisy data points. The network goal is to achieve a uniform reconstruction error, equal to measurement error, by stacking noncomplete grids of Gaussians at decreasing scales. It is shown here how the HRBF properties can be used to develop a configuration algorithm, which produces a continuous surface in real time. In addition, the model is extended to automatically convert the continuous surface into a 3-D mesh according to an adequate error measure.     

Three-dimensional shape measurement of non-full-field reflective surfaces

We describe a technique for the measurement of non-full-field reflective surfaces by using phase-stepping profilometry. We explain the principles of phase demodulation and discuss three-dimensional (3-D) height reconstruction in the case of measuring surfaces with reflective properties such as plain glass and mirrored glass. A number of required calibration algorithms are described to obtain surface slopes and reconstructed 3-D heights of the whole surface. Masking for non-full-field objects and the surface reconstruction procedure are demonstrated mathematically and algorithmically. Several experimental results are given for glass with different shapes and defects. Measurement of a spherical mirror with a known radius has also allowed us to show the performance of the proposed technique. This allows for the possibility to compare 3-D data from the known object with data taken from the measurement system.     

曲面品质分析的可视化后置处理技术

曲面品质分析结果的可视化显示是实现对自由曲面设计质量进行评估的关键。目前,国内还无文章系统地阐述这种技术。笔者提出了一套较完整的自由曲面品质分析的后置处理方法,实现了下列曲面品质分析曲面曲率图,等反射线,高亮线,等照度线。该方法的主要特点是用统一的方式处理边界、非边界等值点,闭合、开等值线,同一场量值对应的多条等值线,单、多个曲面的等值线生成,算法简单实用;对前置处理产生的曲面一次离散三角片中有等值线通过的,依据等值线段对该三角片进行二次离散处理,能较好地消减曲面一次离散三角片链显示颜色云图中的颜色过渡处的走样,锯齿,具有较好的效率和效果。     

Recognition and classification of three-dimensional phase objects by digital Fresnel holography

We demonstrate the validity of wavelet-based processing for recognition and classification of three-dimensional phase objects. One Fresnel digital hologram of each of the three-dimensional (3-D) phase objects to be classified is recorded. The electronic holograms are processed digitally to permit 3-D object information to be retrieved as two-dimensional digital complex images. We use a Mexican-hat wavelet- matched filter (WMF) to enhance the correlation peak and discriminate between the objects. The WMF performs a wavelet transform (WT) to enhance the significant features of the images and the correlation of the WT coefficients thus obtained. We compare the feasibility of a WMF-based object classifier with the matched-filter-based classifier to classify our four 3-D phase objects in a 3-D scene into true or false classes with minimal error.     

Scale-invariant recognition of three-dimensional objects by use of a quasi-correlator

A method of scale-invariant recognition of three-dimensional (3-D) objects is presented. Several images of the observed scene are recorded under white-light illumination from several different points of view and compressed into a single complex two-dimensional matrix. After filtering with a single scale-invariant filter, the resultant function is then coded into a computer-generated hologram (CGH). When this CGH is coherently illuminated, a correlation space is reconstructed in which light peaks indicate the existence and location of true targets in the tested 3-D scene. The light peaks are detectable for different sizes of the true objects, as long as they are within the invariance range of the filter. Experimental results in a complete electro-optical system are presented, and comparisons with other systems are investigated by use of computer simulation.     

Design model generation for reverse engineering using multi-sensors

Reverse engineering is the process of creating a design model and a manufacturing database for an existing part or prototype. The applications of reverse engineering are in redesigning of existing partstools or prototype parts where the CAD model of the part is not available. Reverse engineering, for the most part, is performed as an interactive process where the designer identifies the surface features from digitized data and then models the surfaces accordingly. This paper presents the algorithms and implementation results for a reverse engineering system which is intended to automatically create CAD representations of part prototypes. An integrated sensory system combining contact and non-contact sensors has been developed to digitize parts surfaces. The sensory system fuses data from machine vision and a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) in order to automatically digitize the part surface. Machine vision is used to capture the orthographic views of the part. The images of these orthographic views are processed and vectorized to create five views of the part in the form of an engineering drawing. The system utilizes the generated orthographic projections to automatically drive the CMM to capture a grid of point coordinates from the part surface. The CMM digitization process is guided by the segmentation provided from the orthographic views. The segmented data from the part surface is input to the surface modeling module of the system where parametric surfaces are fitted through the digitized points. The surfaces are then extended and intersected using the Hermite approximation method to develop the 3-D CAD model of the part. Accuracy and automation is achieved by combining global shape information obtained from part images with the accurate point data acquired by a CMM. Algorithms for surface segmentation, part digitization, surface extension, and surface intersection modeling are described in this paper.     

Combining physical shell mapping and reverse-compensation optimisation for spiral machining of free-form surfaces

Machining of free-form surfaces has an important role in industrial manufacturing, but conventional tool-path generation strategies for free-form surfaces machining have the drawbacks of serious flattening distortion and poor tool-path continuity. Therefore, a novel method is developed to generate a spiral tool path for the machining of free-form surfaces by improving surface-flattening distortion and tool-path continuity. First, physical shell mapping is presented to flatten a free-form surface into a plane, which takes stretching energy, bending energy, and global energy into account. Then, the spatial spiral polyline is rounded to generate a spiral path by proposing reverse-compensation optimisation. Therefore, the free-form surfaces can be quickly flattened with less distortion, remaining free of overlap, and can in addition be machined at high speed along a C² continuous spiral tool path. Further, the flattening error, tool-path length, mean curvature, mean scallop-height error of the spiral path, machining time and surface roughness are obviously reduced. Finally, simulation results are given to show the effectiveness and feasibility of the presented strategy.     

Depth-resolved whole-field displacement measurement by wavelength-scanning electronic speckle pattern interferometry

We show, for the first time to our knowledge, how wavelength-scanning interferometry can be used to measure depth-resolved displacement fields through semitransparent scattering surfaces. Temporal sequences of speckle interferograms are recorded while the wavelength of the laser is tuned at a constant rate. Fourier transformation of the resultant three-dimensional (3-D) intensity distribution along the time axis reconstructs the scattering potential within the medium, and changes in the 3-D phase distribution measured between two separate scans provide the out-of-plane component of the 3-D displacement field. The principle of the technique is explained in detail and illustrated with a proof-of-principle experiment involving two independently tilted semitransparent scattering surfaces. Results are validated by standard two-beam electronic speckle pattern interferometry.     

Recognition of polychromatic three-dimensional objects

We propose to use optical multichannel correlation in various chromatic systems to obtain a setup for recognition of polychromatic three-dimensional (3-D) objects based on Fourier-transform profilometry. Because red-green-blue color components are not able to split the luminance information of objects in a defined component, when the 3-D objects are brighter than the reference objects the correlation result gives false alarms. We demonstrate that it is possible to use different color spaces that can split luminance from chromatic information to yield adequate recognition of polychromatic 3-D objects. We show experimental results that prove the utility of the proposed method.     

Three-Dimensional Password for More Secure Authentication

Current authentication systems suffer from many weaknesses. Textual passwords are commonly used; however, users do not follow their requirements. Users tend to choose meaningful words from dictionaries, which make textual passwords easy to break and vulnerable to dictionary or brute force attacks. Many available graphical passwords have a password space that is less than or equal to the textual password space. Smart cards or tokens can be stolen. Many biometric authentications have been proposed; however, users tend to resist using biometrics because of their intrusiveness and the effect on their privacy. Moreover, biometrics cannot be revoked. In this paper, we present and evaluate our contribution, i.e., the 3-D password. The 3-D password is a multifactor authentication scheme. To be authenticated, we present a 3-D virtual environment where the user navigates and interacts with various objects. The sequence of actions and interactions toward the objects inside the 3-D environment constructs the user's 3-D password. The 3-D password can combine most existing authentication schemes such as textual passwords, graphical passwords, and various types of biometrics into a 3-D virtual environment. The design of the 3-D virtual environment and the type of objects selected determine the 3-D password key space.      

Data input model for virtual reality-aided facility layout

An approach to automatically extract three dimensional (3D) models (that is, geometries and topologies) of physical objects in a facility is described. The rationale for this work is its repeated use in efficiently developing databases of 3D objects for applying virtual reality (VR) tools in detailed layout decision support. Obtaining 3D object models can be a challenging task. Sometimes they are available, for example, in a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) database and these can be readily imported into a VR database. But on many occasions one is not so fortunate and these object models have to be created in correlation to an existing or proposed facility, which can be an extremely tedious and time consuming task. A time efficient and economical alternative is to use video camera images, but quickly and accurately capturing the depth information from 2D camera images has so far remained elusive because the existing methodologies are too general purpose and operate at a lower level of abstraction, namely digitized images. We have developed a method for directly inputting 3D objects into VR-aided facility layout models, by integrating the strengths of previously tried and tested technological components: (i) camera calibration; (ii) image processing; (iii) stereo vision; and (iv) Delaunay triangulation. The techniques described here are embedded in a prototype architecture and toolkit called MIRRORS (Methodology for Inputting Raw Recordings into 3D Object Renderings for Stereo). The primary contribution of this paper is that it has been able to design an integrated system to build 3D object models from 2D images. The MIRRORS system has been primarily designed for objects without free-form surfaces and whose shape can be recovered from a relatively nondense set of points.     

Determination of the fracture toughness by automatic image processing

We determine the fracture toughness of a duplex stainless steel using the COD-concept (crack tip opening displacement). The COD_i values are obtained by stereophotogrammetric reconstruction of fracture surfaces. This is done by analyzing stereoscopic scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the surfaces with an automatic image processing system. This system allows the automatic generation of a digital elevation model (DEM) with approximately 50000 points for each fracture surface image. Height-profiles at the point of crack initiation can be obtained from this DEM. The examination of corresponding profiles from both specimen-halves leads to COD_i.     

Computer-generated holograms of three-dimensional realistic objects recorded without wave interference

We propose a method of synthesizing computer-generated holograms of real-life three-dimensional (3-D) objects. An ordinary digital camera illuminated by incoherent white light records several projections of the 3-D object from different points of view. The recorded data are numerically processed to yield a two-dimensional complex function, which is then encoded as a computer-generated hologram. When this hologram is illuminated by a plane wave, a 3-D real image of the object is reconstructed.     

基于分数阶傅里叶变换的NURBS曲面拟合

为了实现对自由曲面模型的高精度非均匀有理B样条(NURBS)曲面拟合,提出了一种基于分数阶傅里叶变换的NURBS曲面拟合方法。首先,借助分数阶傅里叶变换对自由曲面模型点云数据的高程图像展开分析,从中提取出表征自由曲面表面三维结构的特征点;然后,利用外切圆取点法结合提取的特征点选取用于NURBS曲面拟合的数据点;最后,利用分数阶傅里叶变换滤波及反插节点法对拟合曲面形状进行优化,提高拟合精度。实验结果表明:该方法与传统NURBS拟合方法相比,在不同调整次数下拟合结果的均方根误差降低了28%,取得了更好的拟合效果。     

Monte Carlo simulation of energy dissipation of recombining hydrogen in a maze

Studies of 2-D atomic hydrogen at high densities on helium surfaces have been plagued by the heating of the surfaces due to recombination, which dissipates more than 52, 000K for each recombining pair of atoms in the cell. When hydrogen recombines on a surface, it deposits less than 4% of its energy at the point of recombination and the rest is carried off by the excited molecule. We have designed a maze to absorb most of this energy, and carried out a Monte Carlo simulation to show that approximately 87% of the energy is dissipated in the maze, preventing the surface from getting excessively heated, even at high surface densities. This simulation varies the number of inelastic collisions with the maze wall for complete relaxation, the fraction of elastic collisions, and the angular distribution of excited molecules desorbing from the walls.     

复杂型面测量中测头中心的轨迹曲面及测头半径的三维补偿

根据球形测头的中心轨迹与被测曲面互为等距曲面的关系，采用双三次Ｂ样条曲面建立了描述测头中心轨迹的数学模型，并提出了一种新的三维测头半径补偿方法。